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D-UnitDetroit Intelligence UnitConnect to Life.

A 9.3-Year Death Gap.
Three Miles Apart.

Detroiters live 69.7 years. Macomb County: 79+ years.

D-Unit connects Detroit residents to jobs, contracts, and startup capital across the city's $1.78B life sciences network — with a human on the other end.

Connect to LifeFree intake • Human follow-up • 2-min form
Lat 42.3314° N
Detroit—Macomb
Distance: 3.1 mi
— VERIFIED

Trusted by the network

$1.78B tracked
A Detroit great-grandmother and great-grandfather renewing their wedding vows, surrounded by four generations of family including a baby
This is what 9.3 years buys: anniversaries, great-grandchildren, and the milestones Detroit families are still owed.03 / THE GROUND
Detroit City — Wayne County

DETROIT

L.E. / DET-69.7
69.7YEARS
Life lived — cut short
↓ 9.3 YEARS BELOWUS AVG: 77.5

Footnote: 2023 MDHHS Vital Statistics. Age-adjusted. Detroit proper, not metro. Red line = preventable mortality.

01 / ALARM
Macomb County, MI

MACOMB

L.E. / MAC-79+
79+YEARS
Full span — not a celebration, a fact
BASELINE79.4 — 2023 EST.

Footnote: Same data year, same state, same healthcare system. Three miles north. Different outcome.

02 / BASELINE
Gap = 9.3 years — A child grows up, graduates
3.1 MI

What drives the gap — Four causes. No euphemisms.

01

Heart Disease

40% HIGHER IN DETROIT

Hypertension untreated. ER is primary care. Streets, stress, salt, no follow-up.

Leading cause of death. Age-adjusted rate, Wayne vs Macomb, CDC WONDER 2019–2023.

02

Cancer

CAUGHT LATER IN DETROIT

Screening deserts. More diagnoses at Stage III/IV, when treatment options narrow.

Early-stage detection tracks with transportation, paid leave, and trust. MDHHS cancer surveillance.

03

Infant Mortality

2.5× HIGHER

A baby born in Detroit is about 2.5x more likely to die before turning one.

13.6 per 1,000 Detroit vs 5.4 Macomb. U.S. average 5.6. MDHHS Vital Statistics.

04

Diabetes & Stroke

NEARLY 2× THE STATE RATE

Late diagnosis, food access, missed follow-up. Manageable conditions become fatal ones.

Diabetes-related deaths, age-adjusted. Wayne County vs Michigan, CDC WONDER 2019–2023.

Source: MDHHS, CDC WONDER, Wayne County Health. Age-adjusted 2019-2023. Disparity persists after income adjustment. See sources & methodology

Not a brochure. A record.

Connect —

Healthier, longer lives.
More jobs. Stronger businesses.

Detroit's $1.78B life sciences network is building a city where Detroiters live longer. Labs, clinics, biomanufacturing, community health hubs — from Corktown to Conner Creek.

D-Unit is the network that connects you to it. Workforce. Startups. Contracts. Care. If you live, work, or build in Detroit, this is your infrastructure.

9.3 years is not a statistic — it is the birthdays, graduations, and grandchildren Detroit does not get to see. Closing it starts with one person, one step, today.

• Life Sci Jobs• Clinic Access• Supplier Network
The Ask
"If health is 9.3 years shorter three miles away, it's not healthcare. It's infrastructure."
— D-Unit Principle
Life Sciences
$1.78B
Network
Goal
Close
the 9.3yr Gap

Where to go next

JobsDetroit life sciences jobsPay ranges and credentials for 20 roles we track.Network23 institutionsThe anchors, hospitals, universities, and labs.PathwaysHow D-Unit worksD-NAVIGATE, D-CONNECT, and D-VENTURE explained.The GapThe 9.3-year gapWhy three miles costs a decade of life.