What’s going on in the world of entrepreneurial ecosystem building and startup community building? Here’s what’s popped up on my radar in October
CO.STARTERS’ CEO Enoch Elwell continues his series of articles on ecosystem building as an economic development approach in his article, If You are an Economic Developer or Ecosystem Builder, What will Your First 100 Days Look Like?
If you really want to know the state of your ecosystem right now Startup Champions Networks’ Tom Chapman says the metric to look at is first fundings. Check out his article on the importance of looking at the right data sets.
Rural Rise released a sweet little video that features Cape Girardeau, Missouri and the amazing things they’re doing to support local innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital job training for adults and youth. Check it out below.
American startups need more help. I doubt that any ecosystem builders would disagree. Check out the article written by Randi Druzin and supported by the Kauffman Foundation.
Find out how Detroit’s ecosystem leaders are staying resilient despite the pandemic in this article by Michelai Graham.
More Ecosystem Building News and Stories
Entrepreneurship Is the Vaccine for Urban Economies | by Victor Hwang
“America already has the vaccine needed to reenergize our communities and revive our businesses. We need to take advantage of its availability and make entrepreneurship a priority nationwide.”
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Which Private Foundations Are Funding Entrepreneurship? | by Dara Macan at Sourcelink
“A growing trend in entrepreneur ecosystem development has been quietly emerging over the last few years: an increase in the number of foundations that not only recognize the vital role entrepreneurs play in building communities but that also are willing to fund entrepreneur ecosystem development.”
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Rooted in Purpose | by Anika Horn
Having interviewed more than 50 ecosystem builders for social change, Anika Horn has had many conversations about what drives them. When asked about their purpose, responses range from a desire to contribute to a world worth living in to creating equal access to opportunity, building community wealth and wellbeing, unlocking human potential and bringing your own strengths and skills to bear. In her latest Insights article “Rooted in Purpose”, she shares some of the most common drivers as well as her approach to uncovering your purpose.
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ESHIP Summit 2020 in Review | by Brett Brenton at Forward Cities
“Every year, the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem building community gathers for what is arguably the premier event for learning and connectivity in the nation (maybe even the world). The ESHIP Summit, created and sponsored by the Ewing Kauffman Foundation, typically convenes in Kansas City in the second quarter of the calendar year. Started in 2017, it has gathered over 1,000 of the leading practitioners of ecosystem building in the first three years, all in the spirit of making Entrepreneurship for All a widely understood and supported practice.”
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#1 Put Entrepreneurs Front and Center | by Anika Horn at Social Venturers
“As ecosystem builders, we are committed to serving the entrepreneurs in our communities. To do our job well, we need to know who they are and what they need. But how do you find these entrepreneurs – especially those who are just emerging or are historically marginalized? How do we ensure we support entrepreneurs in leading local ecosystem efforts, that our services and interventions are entrepreneur-centric and that we listen with empathy?”
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Foundations: A Growing Source of Entrepreneurship Funding | by Dara Macan at Sourcelink
“Private philanthropic organizations are increasingly recognizing entrepreneurship as an economic development strategy. What does that mean for entrepreneur ecosystem builders or economic developers? It means there are more opportunities to fund the work we do.”
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Entrepreneurs and Economic Developers Both Want to Make a Difference in their Community. Here are Practical Ways they Can Improve their Collaboration | by Enoch Elwell at CO.STARTERS
“Entrepreneurs and economic developers can increase their engagement with (or help build) a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
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Community Stewardship on a Systemic Level | by Anika Horn
In the third part of her series on Community Leadership for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Builders, Anika Horn takes the conversation to an international stage and shares what we can learn from Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen, about leading social and environmental change on a global level.
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