Recently, more than 125 students graduated from Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy, a one-of-a-kind, free 10-month program launched in 2021 through a partnership between Apple and Michigan State University (MSU), according to a news release shared with AFROTECH™.

But the Apple Developer Academy is about more than just coding. It equips Detroiters with real-world skills and the confidence to thrive in app development, business, and today’s ever-evolving tech landscape, per the release.

A Pipeline For Real-World Innovation

What makes Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy truly unique is its approach. Beyond mastering Swift coding, students dive into AI, UX design, marketing, and project management.

The program is also backed by the Gilbert Family Foundation, which helps connect graduates with internships, mentors, and career opportunities across Detroit.

“As Detroit continues to emerge as a national hub for technology, the Apple Developer Academy is creating pathways for Detroiters of all backgrounds to gain the skills, confidence, and connections they need to launch successful careers in the tech industry,” Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation, told the Michigan Chronicle. “We are proud to support this important program, which is the only one of its kind in the U.S.”

From The Academy To The City

According to the news release, more than 50 of this year’s graduates are continuing through the Apple Developer Academy’s Renaissance program. The second-year experience takes their education to the next level, pairing them with local businesses and cultural institutions like the Detroit Historical Museum and area design firms.

With mentorship, entrepreneurship coaching, and financial literacy support from MSU Federal Credit Union and other organizations, as the Michigan Chronicle states, these students develop tech solutions that answer real community needs.

Take Hamza Crichlow, for example. A former respiratory therapist, Crichlow created Pulmoro, an app that helps healthcare workers interpret complex respiratory data. His work earned him a win in the Swift Student Challenge and a trip to Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC25) this year.

“I love the Apple Developer Academy,” Crichlow told the Michigan Chronicle. “It’s been cool to see a lot of like-minded people learning something together. When some of us started, we didn’t know anything about code or design, but now we all have our own app we are designing. A hopeful, optimistic view is what it’s given me.”

Innovation Inspired By Real Life

Another standout graduate, Tamera Middlebrooks, created SwayApp, a wellness tool inspired by her own battle with vestibular migraines, according to the news release. Her project won a Swift Student Challenge Distinguished Winner award, and she presented it to Apple CEO Tim Cook during WWDC25.

But Middlebrooks isn’t stopping there. She’s also the founder of Postage, a climate-conscious tech startup, and a key figure in Fashion Revolution Week Detroit, blending tech with sustainability and activism.

Her journey embodies what the program strives for, and that’s turning personal stories into meaningful tech innovation.

With more than 1,400 participants and alumni, Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy proves that when opportunity, mentorship, and community come together, groundbreaking innovation follows.