CEED: What is a Community-based Entrepreneurial Ecosystem?
An entrepreneurial ecosystem is an interconnected network of social and economic resources affecting local and regional entrepreneurship. Resources committed to entrepreneurs’ ecosystems are allocated within a geographic area or specific industry to create, incubate, and accelerate entrepreneurial ventures.
Resources allocated provide access to:
- Talent
- Capital
- Space
- Business development services
- Intellectual property
- Equipment
- Technology
Activities within an entrepreneurial ecosystem stimulate deal flow, create more jobs, and encourage capital investments.
Our definition places emphasis on “community,” adopting the theory of the neighborhood economy — a microeconomic trend that focuses on building community wealth and vibrant neighborhoods. This approach decentralizes economic activity in order to share economic mobility among a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
