NEW! Introducing EcoMap Ecosystem Relationship Manager (ERM) – Learn more

pava lapere
Pava, a young white woman smiles at the viewer while casually stting on the granite steps to the EcoMap Office. She has shoulder-length curly hair and is wearing a burgundy EcoMap shirt, white pants, and red nail polish

In Memoriam Pava LaPere

Pava Marie LaPere was a 5'2" giant who will forever be
the Chief Ecosystem Officer of EcoMap Technologies.
This page is dedicated in her loving memory.

About Pava

About Pava: Childhood

Growing up, Pava split her time between Pflugerville, Texas and Westerly, Rhode Island before spending most of her teenage years in Tucson, Arizona. Even as a child, her mind moved at a mile a minute and it would constantly lead her in (and out) of trouble. One thing was clear to her parents at a very early age – Pava was a natural born leader.Pava got into her dream school, Johns Hopkins University, with the intention of following a path towards being a doctor. However, she quickly discovered two things:

One, she didn’t like blood.
‍
Two, she was meant to make an impact at scale.

About Pava: Hopkins

During her four years at Johns Hopkins, Pava became the de facto entrepreneurial ecosystem builder on campus. Along with Anthony Garay and Brooke Stephanian, she founded the non-profit TCO Labs (standing for The Crazy Ones) in order to spur more entrepreneurial activity among the student body. It was wildly successful in building a grassroots student movement that eventually paved the way for an official university entrepreneurial center named FastForward U.

As an upperclassman, Pava founded another non-profit named Innov8MD with a goal to connect the various university entrepreneurial ecosystems across Maryland – culminating in the Baltimore & Beyond conference which showcased over 60 student ventures across 12 different universities.

The final venture she founded while at Johns Hopkins ended up being her life’s work – EcoMap Technologies.

About Pava: Early Career

After graduating in 2019, Pava split her time working as a contractor with FastForward U in order to build a two-track accelerator program for student ventures while laying the groundwork for EcoMap. She spent years at Hopkins being the go-to source of knowledge about funding opportunities, accelerator programs, and other support systems that entrepreneurs in Baltimore would find valuable.

Based on the knowledge she had accumulated about the key organizations and resources within the city, she built the EcoMap MVP later that year in order to help make information about Baltimore’s entrepreneurial ecosystem more accessible.

And then 2020 happened.

Digital access to up-to-date information became essential, and the free MVP Pava had built started to turn into paying customers.

About Pava: EcoMap

Over the next 3 years, Pava juggled growing EcoMap as a venture-backed startup, philanthropic endeavors within Baltimore, ecosystem building thought leadership, mentoring younger (and often, older) budding entrepreneurs, and being there for her team, friends, and community when they were in need. To this day, we’re not quite sure how she did it all.
‍
At the time of her passing, EcoMap employed over 30 people, mapped over 70 unique ecosystems, raised over $7 million in venture funding, and proudly planted its flag as a champion of Baltimore’s burgeoning ‘Equitech’ ecosystem. She racked up accolade after accolade, from the hyperlocal to the global scale. But she was proudest of the one title she was able to bestow upon herself – Co-Founder/CEO of EcoMap Technologies.
We at the EcoMap team carry a piece of Pava with us each and every day as we continue to pursue her vision of a more equitable world united by access to information.
Rest easy, Pav.

About Pava:
Childhood

Growing up, Pava split her time between Pflugerville, Texas and Westerly, Rhode Island before spending most of her teenage years in Tucson, Arizona. Even as a child, her mind moved at a mile a minute and it would constantly lead her in (and out) of trouble.
One thing was clear to her parents at a very early age – Pava was a natural born leader.
Pava got into her dream school, Johns Hopkins University, with the intention of following a path towards being a doctor. However, she quickly discovered two things:
One, she didn’t like blood.
Two, she was meant to make an impact at scale.

About Pava: Hopkins

During her four years at Johns Hopkins, Pava became the de facto entrepreneurial ecosystem builder on campus. Along with Anthony Garay and Brooke Stephanian, she founded the non-profit TCO Labs (standing for The Crazy Ones) in order to spur more entrepreneurial activity among the student body. It was wildly successful in building a grassroots student movement that eventually paved the way for an official university entrepreneurial center named FastForward U. As an upperclassman, Pava founded another non-profit named Innov8MD with a goal to connect the various university entrepreneurial ecosystems across Maryland – culminating in the Baltimore & Beyond conference which showcased over 60 student ventures across 12 different universities.

The final venture she founded while at Johns Hopkins ended up being her life’s work – EcoMap Technologies.

About Pava: Early Career

After graduating in 2019, Pava split her time working as a contractor with FastForward U in order to build a two-track accelerator program for student ventures while laying the groundwork for EcoMap. She spent years at Hopkins being the go-to source of knowledge about funding opportunities, accelerator programs, and other support systems that entrepreneurs in Baltimore would find valuable. Based on the knowledge she had accumulated about the key organizations and resources within the city, she built the EcoMap MVP later that year in order to help make information about Baltimore’s entrepreneurial ecosystem more accessible.

And then 2020 happened.

Digital access to up-to-date information became essential, and the free MVP Pava had built started to turn into paying customers.

‍

‍

About Pava: EcoMap

Over the next 3 years, Pava juggled growing EcoMap as a venture-backed startup, philanthropic endeavors within Baltimore, ecosystem building thought leadership, mentoring younger (and often, older) budding entrepreneurs, and being there for her team, friends, and community when they were in need.

To this day, we’re not quite sure how she did it all. At the time of her passing, EcoMap employed over 30 people, mapped over 70 unique ecosystems, raised over $7 million in venture funding, and proudly planted its flag as a champion of Baltimore’s burgeoning ‘Equitech’ ecosystem. She racked up accolade after accolade, from the hyperlocal to the global scale. But she was proudest of the one title she was able to bestow upon herself – Co-Founder/CEO of EcoMap Technologies. We at the EcoMap team carry a piece of Pava with us each and every day as we continue to pursue her vision of a more equitable world united by access to information.

Rest easy, Pav.
‍

A young white couple poses with 2 small children at an overlook in a brush-filled desert landscape. At the center is Pava, a small girl with blonde curls. Her brother stands behind her, holding bunny ears up behind her.
Pava, A young white woman with curly brown hair poses in a black graduation gown on a college campus
Pava, a young white woman with curly hair, smiling while holding a white t-shirt that says 'Baltimore is a tech hub' in orange text. She is standing in the EcoMap Offices, which has white marble floors and frosted glass walls behind her.
Side view of Pava, a white woman with curly brown hair, laughs while standing in a circle in a sunny park

About Pava:
Childhood

Growing up, Pava split her time between Pflugerville, Texas and Westerly, Rhode Island before spending most of her teenage years in Tucson, Arizona. Even as a child, her mind moved at a mile a minute and it would constantly lead her in (and out) of trouble.
One thing was clear to her parents at a very early age – Pava was a natural born leader.
Pava got into her dream school, Johns Hopkins University, with the intention of following a path towards being a doctor. However, she quickly discovered two things:

One, she didn’t like blood.

Two, she was meant to make an impact at scale.

About Pava:
Childhood

Growing up, Pava split her time between Pflugerville, Texas and Westerly, Rhode Island before spending most of her teenage years in Tucson, Arizona. Even as a child, her mind moved at a mile a minute and it would constantly lead her in (and out) of trouble.
One thing was clear to her parents at a very early age – Pava was a natural born leader.
Pava got into her dream school, Johns Hopkins University, with the intention of following a path towards being a doctor. However, she quickly discovered two things:
One, she didn’t like blood.
Two, she was meant to make an impact at scale.

About Pava:
Hopkins

During her four years at Johns Hopkins, Pava became the de facto entrepreneurial ecosystem builder on campus. Along with Anthony Garay and Brooke Stephanian, she founded the non-profit TCO Labs (standing for The Crazy Ones) in order to spur more entrepreneurial activity among the student body. It was wildly successful in building a grassroots student movement that eventually paved the way for an official university entrepreneurial center named FastForward U.

As an upperclassman, Pava founded another non-profit named Innov8MD with a goal to connect the various university entrepreneurial ecosystems across Maryland – culminating in the Baltimore & Beyond conference which showcased over 60 student ventures across 12 different universities.

The final venture she founded while at Johns Hopkins ended up being her life’s work – EcoMap Technologies.

About Pava:
Early Career

After graduating in 2019, Pava split her time working as a contractor with FastForward U in order to build a two-track accelerator program for student ventures while laying the groundwork for EcoMap. She spent years at Hopkins being the go-to source of knowledge about funding opportunities, accelerator programs, and other support systems that entrepreneurs in Baltimore would find valuable.

Based on the knowledge she had accumulated about the key organizations and resources within the city, she built the EcoMap MVP later that year in order to help make information about Baltimore’s entrepreneurial ecosystem more accessible.

And then 2020 happened.

Digital access to up-to-date information became essential, and the free MVP Pava had built started to turn into paying customers.

‍

‍

About Pava:
EcoMap

Over the next 3 years, Pava juggled growing EcoMap as a venture-backed startup, philanthropic endeavors within Baltimore, ecosystem building thought leadership, mentoring younger (and often, older) budding entrepreneurs, and being there for her team, friends, and community when they were in need.

To this day, we’re not quite sure how she did it all. At the time of her passing, EcoMap employed over 30 people, mapped over 70 unique ecosystems, raised over $7 million in venture funding, and proudly planted its flag as a champion of Baltimore’s burgeoning ‘Equitech’ ecosystem. She racked up accolade after accolade, from the hyperlocal to the global scale. But she was proudest of the one title she was able to bestow upon herself – Co-Founder/CEO of EcoMap Technologies. We at the EcoMap team carry a piece of Pava with us each and every day as we continue to pursue her vision of a more equitable world united by access to information.

Rest easy, Pav.
‍

A young white couple poses with 2 small children at an overlook in a brush-filled desert landscape. At the center is Pava, a small girl with blonde curls. Her brother stands behind her, holding bunny ears up behind her.
Pava, A young white woman with curly brown hair poses in a black graduation gown on a college campus
Pava, a young white woman with curly hair, smiling while holding a white t-shirt that says 'Baltimore is a tech hub' in orange text. She is standing in the EcoMap Offices, which has white marble floors and frosted glass walls behind her.
Side view of Pava, a white woman with curly brown hair, laughs while standing in a circle in a sunny park

Her Mission

Learn About Her Work

Pava’s passion shined through everything she did – from her ecosystem building work, to the people who left an impact on her, to her commitment to making any idea of hers come to fruition. Whether its her TED Talk or her written works, delve deeper into the true passion and energy Pava brought to the world and the amazing person she was inside and out.

Watch Her TED Talk

Words by Pava

An Introductory Guide to Ecosystem-Led Development

An Introductory Guide to Ecosystem-Led Development

Learn about ecosystems and discover how to create solution systems for successful development initiatives

Download PDF
A large group of smiling young people of different cultural backgrounds all wear the same company shirt and pose together

The Real Reason Why Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Matters

Pava's perspective on the importance of university entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Read Now
A blue card with a gold flower and gold text that reads 'Thank You' rests on a laptop keyboard.

The Words I Never Said,
to a Woman Who’s Now Dead

An essay about a teacher who had a profound impact on Pava's outlook on life.

Read Now

Her Legacy

Carry On Her Vision

Pava LaPere, our beloved Chief Ecosystem Officer, was a visionary beyond her years and centered her work around wanting to make the world a better place. Her mission was not only to make every ecosystem accessible, but also to make a genuine impact in the ecosystems that she inevitably became a part of. She cared so deeply about every ecosystem she visited, and felt so empowered by watching people emulate the same love she has for her home ecosystems in their own.

While no one can ever replace our beloved 5’2” giant, we are more committed than every to continue her vision and to empower our community to do the same. Learn more about the P.L.A.C.E. Builder Fellowship here and how you can carry on Pava’s vision.

EcoMap PLACE Builder Fellowship

The EcoMap PLACE Builder Fellowship was developed in honor of our forever Chief Ecosystem Officer – Pava LaPere – and the values that she embodied so well.
Learn More
pava lapere pava lapere Two women lounging by high top tables at a business conference. On a large screen behind them, is a digital screen introducing Pava LaPere as a speaker.Side view of Pava, a white woman with curly brown hair, laughs while standing in a circle in a sunny park
A mixed group of white and black young people, all EcoMap team members, stand posed together smiling in front of an Upsurge Baltimore banner
A short white woman,Pava, stands between two men of color(Markise and Robin). They are standing behind a blue conference table with a large banner that reads 'Ecosystem-Led Economic Development'. They are all wearing badges and smiling
A short young white woman with brown hair is standing in a loose group of people in a sunny park. They are all laughing together.
A small girl, with a summer tan stands in a boat house with her father standing behind her. She is delicately holding a live lobster by the shell and grimacing at the camera
Black and white photo of Pava, a young white woman, and Sherrod, a young black man, posed together before a shiplap wall. Pava is bending forward, mid-laugh.
Three young people stand together, wearing matching conference badges. On the left is Eden, a black woman in a stylish hat, center is Pava, a white woman in a bright red top, and right is Kevin in a suit jacket with jeans. Behind them is a blue screen with the conference name on it
A pair of white teens relaxing together in a sunny park. Left is Pava, with long hair, resting her head against her brother Nico's shoulder while scowling. Nico, in a white shirt and with the beginnning of a mustache, appears to be messing up her hair.
Two young women stand hugging and laughing before a white wall with a banner reading 'Here Lies Edens Youth'. They are both wearng black dresses, and Eden wears a black sash with gold writing and is holding a wine goblet
Two young white people sit at a table smiling with their arms folded. The man on the right, Kevin, is in a blue shirt and gazes at the camera. On the left is a woman in a green sleeveless turtleneck. It is Pava, and she is smiling at someone just out of view.
A young white woman, Pava, stands in an apartment with wood floors and gray walls wearing blak pants, a brown sweater and coat. On her shoulder stands a black cat named Bean.
A young woman in white pants and blue EcoMap shirt, Pava, sits at a wooden bar table laughing at something on her phone while eating a salad. Behind her are several EcoMap team members.
pava lapere pava lapere
Her Community

Thanking Her Supporters

Scroll to Top