GRAND RAPIDS – The Right Place, Inc. launched its fifth annual Tech Week event Monday with a fireside chat with Daymond John and Robert Herjavec, both successful entrepreneurs and stars of ABC’s Shark Tank, at the Tech Week Grand Rapids 2026 Kick-Off event at GLC Live at 20 Monroe.
More than 1,000 area business leaders, professionals and students attended the official start of the week-long event that features more than 150 events across the Greater Grand Rapids area.
The Sharks conversation set the tone for a week of celebrating innovation, collaboration, and the transformative power of technology in the Greater Grand Rapids region. Although technology is at the center of the Tech Week conversation, the events are open to the public and not just for people involved in the technology sector.
Best known as an original cast member of ABC’s Shark Tank and the founder of the global fashion brand FUBU, John has built a career around identifying opportunity, adapting through uncertainty, and empowering others to think bigger about what’s possible in business and in life. Recognizing his influence as both a business leader and mentor, former President Barack Obama appointed Daymond as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) to help inspire and develop the next generation of entrepreneurs at home and abroad.
Robert Herjavec is the Emmy Award-winning executive producer and lead Shark on Shark Tank in the United States for the last 16 years. He has appeared on five seasons of Dragon’s Den in Canada and is also currently on Shark Tank Australia. He is an accomplished author with three books and had two books on the New York Times bestseller list at the same time.
“We are thrilled to have Daymond John and Robert Herjavec in Grand Rapids today to launch Tech Week,” said Andria Romkema, Senior Vice President of Business Development at The Right Place and lead organizer of Tech Week Grand Rapids. “Both have built their careers by anticipating where technology and business are heading next, so we were excited for our community to hear their perspective on what the future holds. It was a fantastic way to kick off this year’s Tech Week.”
This year’s Kick-Off and the week that followed have been presented by premier sponsor Bank of America.
“Tech Week Grand Rapids demonstrates what’s possible when a community embraces innovation and invests in the future of the region’s businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Paul Keifer, Bank of America President West Michigan. “Bank of America is proud to support this showcase that continues to elevate Grand Rapids as a growing hub for technology, complemented by a robust education sector to inspire the next generation of tech talent, founders, and leaders.”
Now in its fifth year, Tech Week Grand Rapids is a multi-day celebration of the Greater Grand Rapids region’s growing tech ecosystem. Hosted by The Right Place and a 35-member advisory board, and powered by over 300 community partners, Tech Week features 150+ events focused on artificial intelligence, med-tech, high-tech manufacturing, mobility, cybersecurity, and more. In 2025, the event welcomed over 15,000 attendees.
