MassChallenge & InBIA Discuss What it Takes to Be An Ecosystem Builder

Founder & CEO of MassChallenge, John Harthorne, kicked off the 31st International Conference on Business Incubation with a humorous and relatable keynote presentation that spoke to all aspiring ecosystem builders in the room. John shared how his time earning his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 2007 shaped him to finally understand where he fit within the world. He had the drive to create an even playing field and discover how collaboration within a business environment could shape the growth/wellbeing of millions. This brought him to a crossroads that catapulted him into the unknown, and needless to say, MassChallenge was created in 2009. 

MassChallenge was handcrafted to be a no equity and nonprofit model that rewards high-impact startups through competitions with equity-free cash awards. Through John’s global network of accelerators in Boston, the U.K., Israel, Switzerland and Mexico, his team at MassChallenge has contributed to raising $1.8 billion in funding, generated over $700 million in revenue and helped to create 60,000 jobs.

To sum it up, John gave an incredible presentation on MassChallenge’s unique accelerator model.  Don’t just take it from us, InBIA attendees t0ok to Twitter and had this to say about his presentation…

After his presentation, InBIA’s President & CEO, Kirstie Chadwick, spoke with John in a more private and in-depth conversation on his perspective of what it takes to be successful ecosystem builders & create a cohesive ecosystem. Check out the video below to learn more about John, “making more pie” and the three must-haves for building thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems.

More about MassChallenge:

 

MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, we are obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across any industry. By rewarding the highest-impact startups through a competition to win a portion of several million dollars in equity-free cash awards, their global network of accelerators in Boston, the UK, Israel, Switzerland, and Mexico, and unrivaled access to our corporate partners, are making a massive impact – driving growth and creating value the world over. To date, 1,211 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $1.8 billion in funding, generated over $700 million in revenue, and created more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.