SAMARITAS OPENS "HOUSE OF INNOVATION" IN DETROIT

New collaborative incubator space connects tech start-ups to the nonprofit sector

DETROIT, Oct. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Samaritas, Michigan's largest statewide human services nonprofit, has launched the "House of Innovation" inside its Detroit headquarters, a new hub where entrepreneurs, technologists, and social service leaders collaborate to design bold solutions that transform how care is delivered.
The House of Innovation responds to a sector at a crossroads.

"Demand for the social safety net is rising while government funding has peaked and the nonprofit workforce is stretched thin," said Dave Morin, President and CEO of Samaritas. "As the complexity of issues increases, the path to survival for nonprofits requires intense innovation. We want to be the hub of that intersection between social service, innovative approaches, and tech."

Two initial partners will anchor the new space. MindsEmerge has developed a screen-free early childhood program embedding AI into maple-wood alphabet sets that foster language and literacy skills. Pype is an AI-driven compliance platform reducing paperwork for social workers, addressing the fact that frontline staff spend nearly 50 percent of their time on documentation.

"This imbalance between rising demand and shrinking resources is unsustainable," Morin added. "Social services don't just help individuals – they strengthen families, reduce ER visits, improve school attendance, and boost workforce participation. The ripple effects are measurable and economically significant. Innovation must step in."

Beyond hosting start-ups, Samaritas will also embed at Michigan Central, Detroit's hub for cutting-edge technology development.

"The oxygen startups rely on is commercialization and customer acquisition," said Sean White, director of strategy at Michigan Central. "Large community-facing organizations like Samaritas, with balance sheets and a drive for efficiencies, can be equally valuable partners. This collaboration expands opportunities for infusing technology across the social sector."

Morin emphasized that the social service sector represents a $1.4 trillion market employing more than 12.5 million people. "Startups and innovators should view social services not as charity, but as a massive, underserved market ripe for disruption."

The House of Innovation is located at 8115 East Jefferson Avenue on Detroit's East Side. Start-ups interested in participating can contact Dave Morin at dmorin@samaritas.org or Kelli Dobner at kdobn@samaritas.org.

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SOURCE Samaritas