Two days. Shared learning.
Collective action.

12:00–12:20 · Welcome, Roll Call & Orientation

Orient participants to the two days and invite a first contribution in chat.

12:20–12:30 · Impact Story with Julie Heath

Hear how Indiana has connected entrepreneur stories and evidence to help people see what ecosystem building contributes.

12:30–12:45 · Field & ESHIP Legacy

Explore the field’s thought leadership and the people, ideas, and relationships that have shaped entrepreneurial ecosystem building, including the ESHIP Initiative and seven ESHIP Goals.

Inclusive Field · PLACE Builders

Kevin Carter

How PLACE Builders brought more diverse emerging leaders into ecosystem building, and where that leadership is making a difference.

Collaborative Culture · Building Trust Playbook

Erin Ouzts

A brief introduction to the Building Trust Playbook and three practical trust-building tips ecosystem builders can try with their partners.

Shared Vision · Declaration of Interdependence

Andy Stoll

Introduce the Declaration of Interdependence and connect its shared principles to a common vision for entrepreneurial ecosystem building.

Connected Networks · ESHIP Commons

Fay Horwitt

How ESHIP Commons connects ecosystem builders across communities and networks to share knowledge, build relationships, and advance work together.

Practical Metrics & Methods · Main Street America’s E3 Playbook

Joi Austin · Main Street America

The collaborative work behind Main Street America’s E3 Playbook and a tangible practice a community can put to work.

Universal Support · State Offices of Entrepreneurship

Cecilia Wessinger

Introduce State Offices of Entrepreneurship through the Right to Start ambassador lens: what the initiative is changing for entrepreneurs and what we are learning about its value.

Sustainable Work · Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development Certification

Zachary Barker · IEDC

IEDC’s Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development Certification and its connection to professional recognition and resources for this work.

Independent Practitioners

Making a Living as an Ecosystem Builder

For consultants, freelancers, and independent ecosystem builders. Share what’s changing in your work, how you’re adapting, and what’s helping you earn a living and keep going.

Intermediaries & National Resource Providers

Sustaining the Work That Strengthens Ecosystems

For organizations that train, equip, convene, and support ecosystems and ecosystem builders. Share the challenges you’re facing, what’s working, and opportunities to sustain the work and support the field.

Product & Service Providers

Serving the Field & Staying in Business

For those offering tools, platforms, or services to ecosystem builders and entrepreneur support organizations. Discuss how customer needs and budgets are changing, how you’re responding, and where you see new opportunities.

Entrepreneur Support & Resource Providers

Sustaining the Support Entrepreneurs Count On

For entrepreneur support organizations, including coaching and training providers, incubators, accelerators, capital providers, and those offering workspace, real estate, or other business resources. Share how funding changes are affecting your work, how you’re adapting, and what could help you keep serving entrepreneurs.

Two Paths to Statewide Impact: Kentucky & West Virginia

Kentucky and West Virginia ecosystem partners

Compare Kentucky’s statewide innovation strategy with West Virginia’s approach to connecting community-based support. Explore backbone capacity, lessons, and opportunities for collaboration across state lines.

Workforce Funding for Entrepreneurship

Eric Parker & Grace Belangia · Make Startups

Explore Make Startups’ approach to connecting entrepreneurship training with workforce funding. Learn how industry-recognized credentials, provider partnerships, and outcome tracking support the model, and what communities need to put it into practice.

The Irrational Ecosystem: How Human Behavior Shapes Collaboration

Fay Horwitt · WayBuilders

Identify a behavioral barrier affecting participation or collaboration and choose one small change to test in a real ecosystem interaction.

AI Strategy and Practice for Ecosystem Builders

Dell Gines

Learn working concepts for using AI effectively, then apply them through exercises using Dell Gines’s six dimensions plus connectivity. Explore ways to increase efficiency and productivity in entrepreneurship education, funding, and engagement between providers and entrepreneurs.

How Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development Strategy Can Help Grow a Regenerative Economy

Patty Simonton · Big Table Institute

Explore how entrepreneurship-led economic development can help communities grow economies that are sustainable, inclusive, and equitable. Identify a six-month action, a useful metric, and the partnerships or resources needed to advance it.

12:00–12:10 · Reconnect & Orient

Welcome returning and new participants and orient them to Day 2’s collaboration.

12:10–12:30 · Connecting the Constellation

Have each participant leave with one useful connection, one offer or ask, and a next step.

Federal Government

Discuss federal priorities, program outcomes, and the evidence needed to justify investment in ecosystem building.

State Government

Explore statewide priorities, collaboration across regions, and evidence that could strengthen public investment in ecosystem building.

Local Government

Connect entrepreneur needs with local priorities, community outcomes, and evidence that helps local leaders support ecosystem building.

Philanthropy

Discuss philanthropic goals, lasting community change, and the evidence and stories that could justify sustained ecosystem support.

Higher Education

Explore how ecosystem building supports student success, research, and community partnerships, and how to demonstrate that value.

Goal 1 · Inclusive Field

Ecosystem Building Ambassadors

Explore a diverse group of field stewards who can make the case using shared evidence and entrepreneur stories.

Goal 2 · Collaborative Culture

ESHIP Commons (Community Platform)

Explore shared responsibility for convening, participation, and ongoing care of ESHIP Commons.

Goal 3 · Shared Vision

Wikipedia Expansion

Explore support for independent contributors to improve public understanding through credible published sources.

Goal 4 · Connected Networks

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building Certification

Explore a shared foundational curriculum and modules that networks can adapt for different audiences.

Goal 5 · Practical Metrics & Methods

Commons Metrics Pilot

Explore refining an existing ecosystem health framework and learning through a pilot across communities.

Goal 6 · Universal Support

Case-Making Playbook

Explore shared evidence, examples, and messages tailored to different funding and policy audiences.

Goal 7 · Sustainable Work

Occupational and Industry Recognition

Explore clearer role definitions, workforce benchmarks, and pathways toward occupational and industry recognition.

Storytelling

Entrepreneur Impact Stories

Explore a repeatable way to gather entrepreneur-led stories with permission and connect them with evidence of ecosystem support.