Invest UP

06/07/2026

Another season of Great Lakes visitors has docked in the Keweenaw.

The first cruise ship of the season has arrived in Houghton, bringing another round of visitors to the Keweenaw. The cruises hold a steady flow of traffic, adding to the summer tourism mix and bringing more people into local communities to explore what the Keweenaw has to offer.

Visit Keweenaw says the number of visitors using the ships have been consistent but small.

06/06/2026

Capital connections can change the trajectory of a small business.

Lender Match Live Rural Small Business Edition, a virtual event hosted by the SBA Michigan District Office in collaboration with the Michigan Small Business Development Center and Headwaters North SmartZone, will give rural business owners across Michigan, including the U.P., a chance to connect directly with lenders about financing to start or grow their business. The July 9 event will match selected participants with lenders based on loan size, industry, use of proceeds, and location, creating a more focused path to funding conversations.

Open to for-profit businesses across all Upper Peninsula counties, the event is designed to help entrepreneurs compare options and build momentum toward growth. Applications are due June 12.

Apply here:

06/05/2026

Two U.P. institutions are teaming UP to make early childhood education more accessible.

Northern Michigan University and Bay College have created a new 3+1 transfer pathway that makes it easier for students earning an associate degree in early childhood education to complete a bachelor’s degree and potentially add a birth-to-kindergarten teaching certificate. Built for flexibility, the pathway helps working professionals continue their education online while staying in the communities they already serve, opening a more flexible and affordable route to a bachelor’s degree.

The collaboration will help strengthen both opportunity and talent retention across the U.P.

Northern Michigan University and Bay College have partnered to create a new 3+1 transfer pathway that expands access to high-quality, flexible education options for students pursuing a career in early childhood education. It is now easier for those earning an associate of applied science (AAS) in ea...

06/04/2026

A small university story is about to reach a bigger audience.

Lake Superior State University (LSSU) is getting its own documentary series, Raising State, with filming now underway ahead of the school’s 80th anniversary. The series will capture campus life, along with the people, research, traditions, and community ties that make LSSU a meaningful part of Sault Ste. Marie and the Eastern U.P., all while LSSU continues investing in campus improvements and academic growth.

The storytelling will help capture a broader audience so more people can see the value and potential of a place that already means a lot to those who know it well.

The documentary will explore the connection between the Sault Ste. Marie campus and community as the university approaches its 80th anniversary.

06/03/2026

A superior housing collaboration.

Black Rock Crossing has added 50 affordable housing units to Marquette through a partnership between Woda Cooper Companies and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). The units will help add much-needed supply to the local housing market. The development includes a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, with nine units reserved for enrolled tribal members, with rents structured for households earning between 30% and 80% of area median income. Just as significant, Black Rock Crossing is committed to maintaining that affordability for 45 years, giving Marquette a durable housing asset with lasting regional value.

Black Rock Crossing in Marquette, a partnership between Woda Cooper Companies and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, addresses regional housing shortages with 50 affordable units.

06/02/2026

Students are building UP the community!

DSISD Building Trades students have officially unveiled a completed student-built home in Escanaba, the result of hands-on work from 52 students in the district’s Career and Technical Education program. The project gave students direct exposure to residential construction while also creating new housing and strengthening the skilled trades pipeline in the region. With funding support from Build U.P., the project continues to show what is possible when education and housing solutions are built side by side.

DSISD Superintendent Kristina Hansen stated, “We are grateful to InvestUP/BuildU.P. for the financial investment in this project. Mr. Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP, visited the building site with other members of InvestUP and talked with some of the students who were working on the project. The student interactions, along with the financial resources, demonstrated InvestUP’s dedication to this project.”

We are proud to be a part of a program that is bettering the region and showing what building the future can look like.

https://www.dailypress.net/news/local-news/2026/05/dsisd-building-trades-students-unveil-completed-home/

06/02/2026

Mackinac Island keeps showing UP at the top.

Mackinac Island was named USA TODAY’s #1 Best Summer Travel Destination for 2026, which makes it the 4th consecutive year it has earned the top spot. With a full summer calendar ahead, including the Lilac Festival, 4th of July celebrations, and America250 programming, this top honor adds even more visibility to one of the state’s best destinations. When places like Mackinac Island keep drawing attention nationally, it helps lift the profile of the broader region, too.

Mackinac Island has been named the No. 1 Best Summer Travel Destination in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.

06/01/2026

A new level of cancer care is now available in the U.P.

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital has launched the Upper Peninsula’s first Pluvicto therapy program, providing local patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer access to a specialized FDA-approved treatment. Offered through a new Nuclear Medicine service line in collaboration with Green Bay Oncology, the program marks a significant step in expanding advanced care in rural communities.

Rob Mach, chief executive officer of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, states, “By offering Pluvicto locally, we are removing barriers to care and ensuring our patients can access treatment without leaving their community.”

MANISTIQUE, Mich. — Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital has launched a groundbreaking Nuclear Medicine service line that brings advanced prostate cancer treatment to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for the first time.

05/29/2026

Top billing for a top U.P. station!

Some of Michigan’s best local broadcasting is happening right here in the U.P. TV6 & FOX UP was named the 2025 Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, adding another strong statewide honor to a station long trusted across Upper Michigan. The team also earned top Broadcast Excellence Awards in 9 categories and merit awards in 13 more, spanning news, weather, sports, digital, and community involvement.

Congrats to a station that serves Upper Michigan every day. We appreciate your continued depth and consistency behind that work that you do to keep our communities informed. To borrow the very slogan you created, you are part of what makes the UP “someplace special”.

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters announces TV6 & FOX UP is a 2025 Station of the Year.

05/28/2026

Another round is on the way for U.P. golf.

The 15th annual Island Resort & Casino Championship is back at Sweetgrass Golf Club this June, welcoming 144 top rising women’s golf professionals from around the world. Players will be competing for a $225,000 purse and a shot at the LPGA.

As a stop on the Epson Tour, the event gives fans the chance to watch future LPGA talent compete on one of the nation’s best golf destinations, while also adding another draw to the region’s summer event calendar. With affordable tickets, family-friendly access, and a battle for the Pure Michigan Cup, this one continues to help the U.P. in the national golf conversation.

The 15th annual Island Resort Championship returns to Sweetgrass Golf Club this summer, bringing elite competi...