The Future of Ecosystem Building at SXSW 2025
- Heather Fields
- Posted on
- Event Recaps
EcoMap Team @Midwest House, SXSW 2025
Kevin Carter at Equitech Breakfast @SXSW 2025
Sherrod Davis in conversation with Victor Hwang @SXSW 2025
James Feagin joined a panel at Midwest House @SXSW 2025
This article answers:
- Why should entrepreneurship be a national priority?
- What are the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in 2025?
The EcoMap team soaked up the electric energy of SXSW 2025 in Austin earlier this month. We felt charged by the real conversations, bold ideas for ecosystems, and a sense of purpose that carried throughout the festival. Our partnership with Midwest House allowed us to tap into the regional connectivity they generate and contribute to meaningful conversations about how to support and enable entrepreneurs.
For a conference that can pull you into your own bubble, events like the Equitech Breakfast and the Ecosystem Builders Welcome Party at Midwest House grounded us in the power of thoughtful, connected communities. It was precisely what ecosystem builders strive to bring home, and we were proud to support both events.
Equitech Breakfast
EcoMap’s Director of Business Development, Kevin Carter, had the honor of representing the team on stage during the Equitech Breakfast which kicked off the SXSW weekend. While the term “Equitech” was born in Baltimore, the movement has spread across the globe, with organizations from Austin, Birmingham, New Orleans, and London (and more) joining forces to put on this event.
Led by Laurie Felker Jones, the Equitech Breakfast brought together more than 300 diverse founders, funders, ecosystem builders and allies all united in a common vision to create and participate in a culture of belonging in tech.
A Conversation with Victor Hwang
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“We just assumed the entrepreneurial hustle and spirit was always going to be there. What happens when you don’t pay attention to something in business, it just kind of withers away. It’s not intentionally anti-entrepreneurial. It just became that way.” “
Being in community and learning with others committed to elevating the future of entrepreneurship was a theme throughout the week, but what laid the groundwork was EcoMap co-founder and CEO Sherrod Davis’s fireside chat on the future of ecosystem building and how we move entrepreneurship to the center of the conversation with Right to Start founder, Victor Hwang.
Hwang pointed to purchasing a home. A W2 is still the only accepted application document when applying for a mortgage, which is a barrier for founders interested in purchasing homes and adding to the local economy. Hwang related it to a sports team. Everyone universally understands the roles of a player or a coach, but no one considers the game’s design and if it still works for those playing.
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With digital tools, it’s never been easier to start a business, but the structures around it are still too archaic to support their natural growth.
This led to a discussion around the need for better ecosystem design. Ecosystem building creates environments that support the flourishing of all types of businesses – not just those that fit a certain mold. Hwang compared traditional business-building to farming, where only the “good” crops (ideas) are nurtured, and everything else is weeded out.
Yet there remains a disconnect between widespread public support for entrepreneurship and the lack of political attention to its impact. Given entrepreneurship is something both sides of the aisle agree on – 94% of Americans agree entrepreneurship is crucial for the country’s future – it’s surprising it’s not more often discussed as a major civic priority.
Davis said, “When you give a damn, you’re willing to take more risks, you’re willing to challenge the status quo, you’re willing to try new things.”
But Hwang worries if attention doesn’t get paid to this vital sector, that passion might erode.
The storytelling component, driven by data and focusing on entrepreneurs, resonated as a primary solution in the conversation. Telling stories of success and illustrating impact can drive wider adoption in the national conversation and ultimately create a more inclusive, supportive environment for entrepreneurs.
This was a powerful reminder of the need for systemic change and digital infrastructure (like EcoMap) to better support entrepreneurs. It is vitally important to view entrepreneurship not just as an individual endeavor but as part of a larger ecosystem that requires nurturing, collaboration, and the right conditions to flourish. This fireside chat was a call to action to rethink how we support and empower the creators of tomorrow.
Angel Investing’s Regional Shift
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“You can get together to support one little segment of the road. You don’t have to build the entire highway.”
EcoMap’s Head of Growth, James Feagin, was a featured panelist discussing angel investors and the role they play in transforming a region’s startup economy, breaking down silos, and collaborating to scale companies.
The discussion, moderated by Derrick Maultsby with Frost Brown Todd and including panelists Dawn Batts, Milestone Growth Capital; Mike Supeck with the Ohio Angel Collective; and Venture Atlas’ Wolf Starr, centered on a new generation of Midwest investors who are doing things differently in terms of capital access.
“Your money isn’t going in by itself to help a founder,” Feagin said. “There’s a continuum of which you can be a catalytic compartment, and the founder can see that, and the investor can see that.
Looking Ahead
SXSW 2025 gave us a clear view of what’s possible when ecosystem builders, investors, and innovators come together. It also drove home a truth that entrepreneurship isn’t a solo pursuit, it’s a shared responsibility.
The Pennsylvania Arts Ecosystem panel at Keystone House stood out as a powerful example, with passion and insights from leaders like Karl Blischke, Emmai Alaquiva, Dave Silver, and Brenda Bakker Harger emphasizing a key idea, “The best investment you can make is in people.”
Hearing how these leaders prioritize building strong relationships to foster a thriving arts community in Pennsylvania aligned closely with EcoMap’s mission. A major challenge they highlighted, “access to the greater arts community, finding your people, your pocket,” is one EcoMap is determined to address for entrepreneurs across industries, including artists and musicians. Alaquiva’s striking reflection, “In Pennsylvania, we are spinning silk webs, and silk is stronger than steel,” captured the strength and resilience of this creative scene, a fitting metaphor for the interconnected ecosystems EcoMap aims to support.
SXSW is a complex and organic beast of a conference, much like an ecosystem. When you’re there, it can be easy to become distracted or overwhelmed. Yet, at the same time, there’s so much value in every single interaction, every moment of spontaneity and serendipity. But we can have the opportunities without the chaos. We need systems in place that maximize efficiency, and that’s what we’re trying to bring to bear for ecosystems at EcoMap.
We’re returning from Austin committed to building the digital infrastructure that fuels entrepreneurial ecosystems, sharing stories that highlight their value, and advocating for changes that support growth – not just for a few, but for all.