Purpose Led us Here (Power of Purpose pt. 1)
Ecosystem builders are change makers with an “irrefutable desire to create social and/or environmental impact.” In part one of a three part series exploring ‘purpose,’ Anika Horn explores WHY ecosystem builders do what they do, arguing that “we owe it to ourselves to check back in with our driving force, our raison d’etre, or WHY, on a regular basis and assess whether HOW we do our work and WHAT we produce as an outcome is still in line with the circumstances we live in and the skills, experiences and interests we have gained over the years. External article – read more.

ESHIP Communities Ecosystem Builder: Edgar Galicia
As part of a continuing series, Forward Cities has been interviewing ecosystem builders in their ESHIP Communities program. In this article, they interview Edgar Galicia one of the founding members of our ESHIP Communities Council in Kansas City. External article – read more.

Keystone Podcast: The impact of Universities on Growing Startup Ecosystems
In episode 23 of the Keystone Podcast, Charlton and Yuval chat with Ellen Webber, Executive Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute at Temple University Fox School of Business and Chuck Sacco, Assistant Dean at Drexel University School of Entrepreneurship. They dive into the impact universities make on the broader ecosystem and how they’ve each structured their programs to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and proper skillsets with their students. External article – read more.

3 Ways To Build Your Entrepreneurial Ecosystem During COVID-19
The work to build our communities does not stop, even during a pandemic. So what do you do as a community builder? Techstars’ Senior Vice President for Ecosystem Development Chris Heivly shares his thoughts. External article – read more.

ESHIP Communities Ecosystem Builder: Chef Esra England
As part of a continuing series, Forward Cities has been interviewing ecosystem builders in their ESHIP Communities program. In this article, they interview Chef Esra England about his work supporting inclusive entrepreneurship in Kansas City. External article – read more.

Opportunities for the Australian Entrepreneur Ecosystem through the Coronavirus
Ecosystem builder Chad Renando looks at the opportunities that the COVID-19 pandemic presents for entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders. He writes, “ecosystem leaders are well positioned to facilitate connections, provide access to networks, and support businesses to adapt to new business models. This has always been the primary value proposition of the ecosystem builders and their coworking spaces, hubs, and programs. A crisis often mandates that we return to our core, and this may be the case for hubs and programs.” External article – read more.

Meet the America’s New Business Plan RFP grantees
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funded nine entrepreneurship advocates to inform local, regional, and national policy debates with the voices of entrepreneurs. External article – read more.

3 Strategies to Cultivate Comprehensive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
During their first virtualOPEN conference, VentureWell gathered expert panelists to discuss the best strategies for cultivating healthy and robust entrepreneurship ecosystems. External article – read more.

Keystone Podcast Episodes: Uncovering Air Force Innovation & Johannesburg Tech Scene
Yuval Yarden and Charlton Cunningham have released two new episodes of the Keystone podcast. Check out their latest discussions with ecosystem builders.

Episode #20: Uncovering Air Force Innovation with Joey Arora

  • Joey’s path to becoming an ecosystem builder
  • How AFWERX helps bring innovation to the military
  • How your entrepreneurs can get access to programs and capital opportunities (several millions of dollars per company) that the military offers

 

Episode #21: Johannesburg and the African Tech Scene w/Kizito Okechukwu

  • Kizito Okechukwu’s journey to becoming an ecosystem builder
  • How a week long entrepreneurship celebration (GEW) led to the launch of 22 on Sloan, Africa’s largest startup campus
  • The value of collaboration over competition within a growing ecosystem
  • 22 On Sloan’s impact on the greater city of Johannesburg and their vision for the future of the city
  • The narrative Kizito hopes to create for Johannesburg, and what Johannesburg needs to do to be a top 10 city for innovation in the world

Coronavirus Response: Ecosystem Tools You Can Use
Ecosystem Builders, community organizers and other innovators are stepping up to create tools and take action to address the needs of local business, health care professionals, artists, employees and more. Eric Renz-Whitmore shares some of the things that ecosystem builders across the country are doing to address their community’s needs during the COVID-19 crisis. What are you doing in your community? Does your community or network have a similar tools and/or platforms that you might share? External article – read more.

How Philly Startup Leaders is Keeping its Community Connected Virtually
Technical.ly spotlights Philly Startup Leaders head of programs, Jaclyn Allen. They asked her about what needs and questions they’re hearing most often from founders who are trying to build their businesses during a time that’s uncertain both economically and health-wise. She said it has boiled down to information around resource sharing, mentorship, COVID-19 relief, and pivoting. External article – read more.

#EcosystemsRecover: The Perfect Storm for Innovation
In their latest #EcosystemsRecover series, Startup Champions Network profiles SCN members Grace Belangia and Eric Parker, the cofounders of The Clubhou.se in Augusta, Georgia, a non-profit coworking space founded 7 years ago. External article – read more.

Look for Builders
Kristin Leutz, Executive Director of the Startup Champions Network, salutes the work of ecosystem builders and calls for the world to look for builders and support them. External article – read more.

CO.STARTERS Launches New Initiative Focused on Small Business Recovery
CO.STARTERS has launched the Road to Recovery framework to help entrepreneurs and communities navigate the unforeseeable future. This initiative takes a five-step approach, with their proven methods and supports addressing this new challenge every step of the way. CO.STARTERS Road to Recovery framework.

They have also published a very helpful Recovery Guide, full of resources to help small businesses reimagine and rebuild. CO.STARTERS Recovery Guide.

Latest Keystone Pods: Future of Coworking + Indianapolis’ IPOs
The Keystone Podcast isn’t letting global pandemic slow down their production. Yuval and Charlton keep continue to crank out interviews and stories about ecosystem builders. In the last ten days they’ve dropped two new episodes: Episode #18: The Future of Coworking with Tony Bacigalupo and Episode #19: How IPOs and Exits Influenced the Indianapolis Tech Community with Scott Dorsey.

Episode 18 Highlights:

  • The origins of coworking, how Tony joined the movement and where he believes it’s headed
  • The positive and negative impacts of WeWork on the coworking industry
  • The Current state of co-working due to COVID-19

Episode 19 Highlights:

  • How Scott started Exact Target in Indianapolis and his reflections on its advantages and disadvantages
  • Transitioning from being an entrepreneur to being an ecosystem builder and the impact he’s made working
  • with various stakeholders across the city
  • His new venture High Alpha, and how they are building the next great Midwest startups

#EcosystemsRecover: How Puerto Rico has Recovered and Restarted after Multiple Disasters
Startup Champions Network profiles how the Puerto Rico ecosystem has recovered from natural disasters and shares advice from local ecosystem builder Carlos Jiménez. External article – read more.

The COVID-19 Crisis Shows the Logic of Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Building
Dell Gines discusses the logic of entrepreneurship ecosystem building, and how the COVID-19 crisis has made the need for developing strong ecosystems clear. External article – read more.