Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Strong entrepreneurial ecosystems are the foundation of our economy - but building a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem requires intentional effort to make it accessible, data-driven, and easy to access
Traits of a Strong Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Information is Accessible
Information about the resources, support organizations, activity, and opportunities throughout your ecosystem must be easily accessible
Decisions are Data-Driven
From determining which new programs to launch to the curriculum for early-stage entrepreneurs, decisions about the ecosystem should be insight-informed
It's Easy to Get Involved
There needs to be clear entry points for people to get involved with - or more deeply connected to - regardless of their background or networks
Accessible Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Require Accessible Information
Entrepreneurial ecosystems are an ever-changing networks of entrepreneurs, mentors, support organizations, businesses, resources, and other opportunities & activity. Unless information about these assets is easy-to-access, it's impossible to navigate, showcase, or grow the ecosystem effectively
Entrepreneurs
Mentors & Advisors
Startups & Small Businesses
Support Organizations
Resources & Programs
Jobs & Internships
EcoMap pre-populates detailed data about all of the assets in your ecosystem, so you can turn this invisible network into an interactive source of information
To Make Good Ecosystem Decisions, You Need Good Ecosystem Data
It's impossible to build an ecosystem if you don't know what is there to begin with. To make informed decisions about ecosystem building and development, you should start with solid data about your ecosystem and the assets within it
Map Your Ecosystem to Know What Exists
To understand what your ecosystem has to offer, it helps to do a comprehensive "map" of all the assets that exist in your community. If you don't have the capacity, we can handle this for you
Monitor What People are Looking For
Monitor what entrepreneurs in the ecosystem are searching for, such as "funding" or "technical assistance" to inform the development of new programs and opportunities
Mobilize the Ecosystem to Fill Resource Gaps
To identify gaps in your ecosystem, you need to understand the existing assets your community has, which organizations are doing what, and who can be mobilized to ideate, launch, and support new resources
Create Easy-to-Engage Entry Points for People from All Backgrounds
One of the biggest barriers to creating an equitable and effective ecosystem is creating "entry points" for people to start and deepen their involvement with your ecosystem. Making it as easy as possible to get plugged into the ecosystem is critical to building a strong network:
Here are some important entry points you can create:
Technology to Power your Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
To build a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, you need to ensure that entrepreneurs, support organizations, mentors, and other ecosystem stakeholders have access to the information they need. That's where EcoMap comes in.
