Presentation tot he Broadband Communities economic development conference in Ontario, Calif., October 24, 2018

1. Building an
Entrepreneurial
Ecosystem

2. Gary A. Bolles
gbolles.com
Exponentials
Strategies Careers

3. Computers and
networks
3D Printing Digital medicine
Artificial intelligence Synthetic biology Nanotechnology
Robotics Blockchain &
Cryptocurrencies
Sensors/Internet of
Things
DISASTER
RESILIENCE
HEALTHENERGY ENVIRONMENT FOOD GOVERNANCE LEARNING PROSPERITY SECURITY SHELTER SPACE WATER

4. Computers and
networks
3D Printing Digital medicine
Artificial intelligence Synthetic biology Nanotechnology
Robotics Blockchain &
Cryptocurrencies
Sensors/Internet of
Things
DISASTER
RESILIENCE
HEALTHENERGY ENVIRONMENT FOOD GOVERNANCE LEARNING PROSPERITY SECURITY SHELTER SPACE WATER

11. I N D I V I D U A L S O R G A N I Z A T I O N S
C O M M U N I T I E SC O U N T R I E S

12. I N D I V I D U A L S

13. O R G A N I Z A T I O N S
How can we have
the talented
workers
we need,
today
& tomorrow?

14. C O M M U N I T I E S
How can all of our
constituents thrive,
today & tomorrow?

15. C O U N T R I E S
How can we build inclusive economies?

19. Communities are
complicated.

21. economic (commerce, infrastructure, transportation)
social (housing, health, education, recreation, religion)
political (security, stability, equality)

22. Why is ecosystem thinking important?Why is ecosystem thinking important?

23. Why is ecosystem thinking important?

24. Why is ecosystem thinking important?
● Systems thinking
● Design for resilience
● Common understanding
● Common language

25. Life is complicated.
A simple solution usually isn’t either.

26. Life is complicated.
A simple solution usually isn’t either.

27. In 10 years
(or 5, or 2),
what will we wish
we had done
today?
If we’re
successful,
how will we
know?

28. Why Entrepreneurism?

29. Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Models
● Kauffman Foundation
● Innovation Collective (Example:
Coeur d’Alene, ID)
● CORI (Example: Springfield, VT)
● Maker City
● MaRS Discovery District
(Toronto, ONT)
Different mixes of:
● Funder-driven
● Entrepreneur-
driven
● Education-driven
● Government-driven
● Public/Private
Partnerships

32. Kauffman’s Elements
Entrepreneurs
Talent
Knowledge & resources
Champion & convene
Onramps & Intersections
Stories & culture

33. Kauffman’s Design Principles
Put entrepreneurs front & center
Foster conversations
Enlist collaborators
Live the values
Connect people
Tell the community’s authentic story
Start, be patient

34. Your 9 Step Program.
1. Vision.
1. Inventory.
1. Map.
1. Model.
1. Include.
1. Prioritize.
1. Execute.
1. Measure.
1. Repeat.

35. Your 9 Step Program.
1. Vision. A shared story about your community’s continuing revitalization.
1. Inventory. What are your ecosystem’s elements, players, and assets.
1. Map. What’s a simple but useful image of your ecosystem?
1. Model. Choose or adapt a model for ecosystem development, and design your innovation portfolio.
1. Include. Psychological safety, radical inclusion, relentless communication.
1. Prioritize. Continually work with stakeholders to agree on shared priorities.
1. Execute. Small actions, rapidly executed, relentlessly iterated.
1. Measure. Use data - and a data mentality - from the start.
1. Repeat. Your deliverable isn’t an answer: It’s a continuous process that survives.

36. Myths.
We
have
many
myths.

37. You need lots of capital to begin.
You need to copy Silicon Valley.
You need to build the next Facebook.

38. Your number one deliverable:
A sustainable process for innovation

39. A Word on Optimization.

40. A Word on Optimization.

41. Manchester, New Hampshire
● Inventor Dean Kamen is
helping to transform the town
into a hub for human organ
manufacturing.

42. CORI Center on
Rural Innovation*
Springfield,
Vermont

43. Innovation Collective
● Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

45. Coalition of the Willing.

46. Map Your Ecosystem.

47. Map Your Ecosystem
● Who are our major stakeholders related to
entrepreneurial activity?
● What assets do we have? What do we need? What
can we attract? What can we build? What can we
improve? What can we transform? What can we
proxy for?
■ Example: Becoming a hub for remote work.
● How much can we use data to drive decisions?

49. Regular Convenings.

50. ● Artists.
● Libraries.
● Maker spaces.

51. Agree on Priorities.

52. What are we really good at?

53. Community Calendar.

55. Transform Your Schools.

56. Reduce
Business
Frictions.

57. Build Uncommon Partnerships.

58. Become a Platform for Remote Work.

59. Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Tools
CORI Center on
Rural Innovation

61. It’s in the worst of time that things get fixed.
Jack Welch

62. Entrepreneur Ecosystem Resources
Help with Innovation Ecosystems
● Kauffman Foundation
○ Playbook
○ Enabling
○ Measuring
● Innovation Collective
● CORI Center on Rural Innovation
Publications
● VentureBeat Heartland Tech
● Broadband Communities
● WorkingNation
Data
● LinkedIn Economic Graph Research
Future of Work
● gbolles.com
Books
● Ecosystems
○ The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley,
by Greg Horowitt & Victor Hwang
○ Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America,
by James Fallows and Deborah Fallows
● Maker Movement
○ Maker City: A Practical Guide for Reinventing American Cities,
by Dale Dougherty, Marcia Kadanoff, and Peter Hirshberg
● Job-Hunting & Career Change
○ What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles
○ eParachute.com: Online career exploration
○ No-one is Unemployable, by Elizabeth Harney and Deborah
Angel
● Remote Work
○ Distributed Teams, by John O’Duinn
Online Courses - LinkedIn Learning
● Leading Change
● Developing Adaptive Managers
● Developing Adaptive Employees

64. Gary A. Bolles
gbolles.com
Exponentials
Strategies Careers

68. P A
CEE

69. P A
CEE

74. P A
CEE

75. Agile government
Innovation Ecosystems aren’t just for startups. Your
municipal agencies can use innovation practices to
become more nimble and agile.
Being Agile
● Start small.
● Work in sprints.
● Use human-centric design thinking.
● Iterate rapidly.
agileforgovernment.com