Building a Better Way.
Equipping entrepreneurial ecosystem builders to shift culture, transform economies, and lead from the inside out.
Our World
Entrepreneurial ecosystems are evolving — but too often, they’re shaped by outdated norms, extractive models, and invisible barriers. In this moment of social, economic, and cultural upheaval, we need builders who see beyond the surface and work at the root. This is the world we live in — and the one we’re reshaping from the inside-out.
Our Why
We believe in the people who weave ecosystems—the connectors, conveners, and community builders helping entrepreneurs rise by transforming the systems around them. These builders show up from every corner: nonprofit leaders, economic developers, funders, neighbors. They do the hard, hopeful work of reimagining what’s possible. But too often, they’re overlooked, under-resourced, and asked to fix what they didn’t break. At a time when systems are crumbling and trust is thin, they’re holding the line—and charting new paths forward. We exist to equip them to lead the transformation our communities desperately need.
Our Way
We equip entrepreneurial ecosystem builders to live and lead from the inside out—with clarity, courage, and cultural depth. Our programs combine personal growth, practical tools, and ecosystem building strategies to help builders and the organizations they lead drive meaningful, lasting change. Because real transformation begins with people bold enough to build differently—and brave enough to begin with themselves.
Our WayPoints
Our WayPoints are shared truths guiding how we build, connect, and lead. They are inspired by the 7 Design Principles for building entrepreneurial ecosystems, first introduced in the Kauffman Foundation’s Ecosystem Building Playbook and they continue to anchor our work in purpose and practice.
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Ecosystem building begins by deeply understanding and responding to the real needs of entrepreneurs. Ecosystem builders put entrepreneurs front and center.
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The most trusted entrepreneurial champions are those whose humannistic values show up in both what they do and how they do it. Ecosystem builders live the values.
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Trust and shared understanding emerge when we engage in open, ongoing dialogue across roles and communities. Ecosystem builders foster conversations.
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Entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive when people and resources flow across silos, geographies, and backgrounds. Ecosystem builders connect people bottom-up, top-down, and outside-in.
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No single organization can support entrepreneurs alone; change requires aligned efforts across the system. Ecosystem builders enlist collaborators—everyone is invited.
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Narratives shape who gets supported and seen—and who gets overlooked. Ecosystem builders tell a community’s authentic story.
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Developing and sustaining strong and resilient entrepreneurial ecsystems takes time, trust, and persistence. Ecosystem builders must start with intention —and be patient.
Our Wheelhouse
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Education
We deliver high-impact training, learning content, and actionable frameworks that deepen understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystem building—for both practitioners and aligned funders.
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Experiences
We design transformative gatherings that spark authentic connection and collective innovation among builders, communities, organizations, and funders.
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Expertise
We offer strategic guidance, coaching, and thought leadership to help leaders and organizations navigate complexity, align efforts, and scale their impact.
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Essentials
We provide practical templates, curated tools, and plug-and-play resources that make everyday ecosystem building easier, smarter, and more intentional.
Our Work
“ESHIP Way is the path of those bold enough to grow themselves, ground their communities, and build a new economy from the inside out.”
— FAY HORWITT, CHIEF WAYFINDER
