Danielle Chaney, former Senior Program Manager of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Sam Wharton School of Business, University of Arkansas, discusses Startup NWA’s efforts to enhance access to entrepreneurial resources in Northwest Arkansas. We explored the impact of their EcoMap platform, the role of university partnerships in economic development, and future challenges for the ecosystem.
How has the EcoMap platform addressed the biggest need in your ecosystem?
Danielle: Northwest Arkansas boasts an abundance of resources and support for entrepreneurs. Implementing an EcoMap has allowed us to centralize all these resources in one neat package. It makes these resources more accessible and easier to understand for entrepreneurs who are new to starting a business or new to our region. They can now easily comprehend what these resources do, who to talk to, and which organization is the right fit for them to connect with.
In the past, we relied on Excel sheets or PDFs to outline our resources. Having a dynamic and ever-changing platform that reflects our ecosystem’s resources is solving a huge problem for our region. It’s as fluid and adaptive as our entrepreneurial landscape.
"Implementing an EcoMap has allowed us to centralize all these resources in one neat package. It makes these resources more accessible and easier to understand for entrepreneurs who are new to starting a business or new to our region."
Danielle Chaney
Former Senior Program Manager of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Sam Wharton School of Business, University of Arkansas
Can you elaborate on the importance of university partnerships with regional economic development?
Danielle: The beauty of being part of a university and being involved in the economic development of our region is the alignment of our student and academic programming with local industries. This alignment can take the form of creating internship opportunities for students that lead them to more in-demand jobs. When students graduate, if we’re working with local economic developers to place them in high-demand jobs that interest them, we can retain those graduates in our region and help boost our local employment.
In addition, as a university, we have a unique set of resources that we can offer our community. Whether it’s mentorship opportunities or incubators, having these resources within our community helps boost local startups and businesses, extending our impact beyond just our student population.
I think people view universities as neutral parties. By partnering with our local community, we can act as conveners, bringing together government officials, local business owners, and nonprofits in our area. This allows us all to work more collaboratively to solve problems, meet challenges, and reach our communal goals.
What do you see as the next biggest challenge that Startup NWA can help overcome?
Danielle: Now that we have this comprehensive resource presenting information to entrepreneurs, the next step is contextualizing that information. We’re looking at offering toolkits for people in specific industries or certain types of founders. This approach will provide more color and depth to our resources, especially helping new business owners who may not have the same background or resources as others.
These toolkits would be particularly beneficial in ensuring that people can continue their ventures successfully, regardless of their starting point or previous experience in entrepreneurship.
What has been your experience working with EcoMap and creating EcoMaps in Arkansas?
Danielle: As someone who joined the university just eight months ago with no background in entrepreneurism or ecosystem building, I’ve found working with the EcoMap team to be a wonderful experience. There’s a great team here, they’ve been incredibly supportive and I really enjoy collaborating with them. Their expertise and guidance have been invaluable in helping us build and optimize our EcoMap for Northwest Arkansas.
Through Startup NWA and the EcoMap platform, the University of Arkansas continues to bridge the gap between academic resources and practical entrepreneurial needs. By simplifying access to vital information and support, they’re fostering a more connected and thriving ecosystem for Northwest Arkansas’s entrepreneurs.