APPENDIX
APPENDIX A: CASE STUDIES Leaders in Rhode Island are not alone in their efforts to build a more resilient and inclusive ecosystem for the state’s BIPOC entrepreneurs. Similar efforts are underway around the US, and these experiences offer many useful lessons learned for ongoing work in Rhode Island. This appendix presents a series of case studies of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem building from several locations around the US. They include: ◼
Cincinnati, OH
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Cleveland, OH
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Detroit, MI
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Miami, FL
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Philadelphia, PA
These locations share several characteristics that offer useful insights to inform future ecosystem building efforts in Rhode Island. All of these locations have been actively promoting inclusive entrepreneurship for many years, and are viewed as promising models by industry experts. In addition, the communities present a range of different business models and organizational types. In some cases, such as Cincinnati, traditional economic development organizations play an important leadership role. In other cases, initiatives are started by local policy entrepreneurs (Miami) or are seeded by major philanthropic investments (Detroit). Thanks to this diversity of programming and approaches, the cases offer a mix of useful lessons and suggestions for new policies and programs. Each case focuses on a specific location and a lead organization that plays a critical role in supporting the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystems. Each case study includes unique lessons learned, but some common lessons have also emerged. They include:
Embrace Ecosystem Building as a Core Strategy In all of the cases discussed below, lead organizations and partners consciously view ecosystem building as a core mission. Organizations provide key services (e.g., we provide loans, we provide training), but they do not view themselves solely as service providers. Instead, they see their mission in a broader sense of supporting an environment that helps all BIPOC business owners thrive. Given this vision, they do not view themselves as “leaders” of the ecosystem, but as a part of a wider cohesive network that typically engages dozens of partners and stakeholders.
Embrace Comprehensive Services Effective ecosystems offer support to entrepreneurs at all points in the business life cycle—from the initial stages of ideation to the first initial public offering (IPO) of a successful venture. No one organization can offer the full suite of needed services and support. For this reason, effective ecosystems engage multiple partners with specialized capabilities based on market needs, local business types, and local capacities. Effective organizations, like Tech Town Detroit or the Enterprise Center of West Philadelphia, often provide many of these services “under one roof” but they also rely on connections, referrals, and partnerships to deliver many programs and trainings.
The Power of Philanthropy Local and national foundations played a critical role in every one of these case studies. In a few cases, such as Cleveland and Detroit, foundations led the initial charge to support ecosystem development and 34
