Membership Spotlight - Regionerate

Regionerate

Founded in 2009, Regionerate is a Maryland-based consultancy specializing in creating transformative regional partnerships. Under the leadership of Linda Fowler, the organization champions manufacturing competitiveness, BIPOC and female entrepreneurship, and inclusive innovation strategies. Regionerate serves diverse populations across rural and urban areas, with a strong focus on fostering systemic economic change.

Notable Achievements and Innovations

• Revitalizing Central Florida After NASA Shuttle Program Closure
  When the end of the NASA shuttle program left 30,000 workers unemployed, Regionerate led efforts to repurpose the region's assets. By building new industry clusters like clean energy, they launched companies, retrained workers, and redefined Central Florida’s economic identity.

• Childcare SPARK in Michigan
  In response to a childcare crisis in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Regionerate initiated Childcare SPARK. This innovative program empowered local residents to start in-home childcare businesses, leveraging existing assets to provide solutions for families while generating income for providers.

• Entrepreneurs of Color Initiative in Detroit
  Regionerate worked with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support minority entrepreneurs by creating a new capital source and technical assistance program. These efforts provided loans ranging from $50K–$150K, fostering equitable economic opportunities in Detroit.

• Living Cities’ Closing the Gaps Network
  Collaborating on this 10-year initiative, Regionerate supported city governments in promoting homeownership and entrepreneurship for underserved populations. Their work leveraged funds to address systemic barriers, advancing racial income and wealth equity in urban areas.

Distinctive Model and Services

Regionerate serves startups across sectors such as microenterprise, manufacturing, and technology. Their services include strategic planning, ecosystem mapping, fund development, and leadership training.

A defining feature of their approach is the ability to blend and leverage diverse funding sources to amplify impact. The organization also facilitates networks of Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) to minimize redundancies and enhance collaboration, employing "Strategic Doing," an agile framework for partnership-building.

Advice and Reflection

Linda Fowler emphasizes the importance of humility and learning from communities’ lived experiences. This approach ensures that solutions are tailored and impactful.

Partnerships with InBIA

As a longtime InBIA member and current chair of the Board of Directors, Linda Fowler and Regionerate have gained valuable insights and connections to further its mission of empowering marginalized entrepreneurs. The organization thrives on the shared passion and collaborative spirit within the InBIA network.