Michigan Matters - The electrifying future of Ford, ONE and roundtable discussion

(CBS DETROIT) - Mujeeb Ijaz, founder and CEO of Our Next Energy (ONE) brought his EV battery-making start-up company to Metro Detroit from Silicon Valley two years ago, and it has grown dramatically since. 

Ijaz talked with Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host of CBS Detroit's Michigan Matters, about his journey (he previously worked at Ford and Apple) before starting ONE. 

He explained why he returned to Detroit and how the region is helping his company grow. He has traveled extensively, with 26 trips outside of Michigan in the past two months alone, as he pursues investments and business prospects for his company which created two different EV batteries and EV storage systems.

Mujeeb talked about teaming up with Pistons Automotive as they gear up to make EV batteries at a facility in Van Buren Township. 

Then Mary Culler, President of the Ford Fund and Chair of Michigan Central, along with Carolina Pluszczynski,  COO of Michigan Central, discuss the 30-acre innovation hub coming to life at the site of the shuttered train station and the area around it. 

Culler, who has worked alongside Bill Ford since he announced in 2018 the company would invest over $ 1 billion to transform the station area into a tech/startup hub with an eye on it becoming a catalyst for the community, provided an update five years into the effort.

Pluszczynski talked about Newlab, located inside the former book depository building, which is part of the project and opened last week. 

Then the roundtable of Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett, CEO Denise Ilitch and Culler talked about Metro Detroit with marquee events coming up and the EV market taking hold.

They also talked about the 2024 NFL Draft coming to the Motor City next spring and the impact it would have.

Culler mentioned the Ford Freedom Fireworks, which will be held June 26 in downtown Detroit and Barnett talked about his city's fireworks, which are set for June 28.

Watch Michigan Matters at 8 a.m. Sunday on CBS Detroit.