This fall, entrepreneurial ecosystem builders will gather in Detroit for InBIA’s second Ecosystem Builders (e.Builders) Forum. Hosted by TechTown Detroit, which has become a hub of entrepreneurship in a city that is working on revitalization after several years of economic turmoil, this two-day event will combine InBIA’s seasoned practitioners with local industry leaders to share tools, resources, and success stories from disadvantaged communities seeking economic redevelopment. Disadvantaged communities may represent various regions of the US and Canada that have undergone devastating industrial sector collapse; have a scarcity of resources vital to the sustainment of small businesses; or have earning/wage levels below the national average. A major theme of 2018’s e.Builders Forum is how distressed areas can redevelop spaces from traditional industries and identify new resources to support local entrepreneurs.

Detroit, like other areas within the state of Michigan, has seen dramatic changes within its local economy over the last thirty years. While the automotive and metal production industries in the state were once thriving, in recent decades, off-shoring of production plans and workforce layoffs have caused a continuous economic decline. Massive buildings that once housed thousands of skilled, local workers are now vacant and potentially fertile ground for the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem that is starting to take shape in the city.

Monday, September 17

The first day of 2018’s e.Builders Forum will consist of half-day workshops during which deep dive sessions on specific topics will provide tools and resources tailored for entrepreneurship center managers and other ecosystem players. All participants will have the opportunity to sign up for one workshop in the morning, and another in the afternoon. Workshops include:

Equitable Ecosystems: Creating Inclusive Ecosystems for Growing and Scaling Minority-Owned Businesses

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., or 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Minority entrepreneurs face unique challenges in getting their companies off the ground. This workshop will provide best practices, strategies and resources designed to increase the participation and success of underrepresented demographic populations of entrepreneurs beyond a single center/organization. Find out how to rally several ecosystem players to remove gaps and disparities in outreach, funding, programming, and accessibility of services for local minority entrepreneurs.  Expect new data and fresh perspectives on recent successes thanks to generous funding from JP Morgan Chase.

Where Are My Anchors? Building and Leveraging a Network of Local Corporate Strategics

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., or 1:00 – 3:30 p.m.  

Many large corporations are looking to the entrepreneurial community for new innovations, and partnerships with entrepreneurship centers can be mutually beneficial for them and your clients. Find out how to attract and grow a network of these “corporate strategics” for the benefit of your program and the companies you support from some of the people who have been involved in the “Comeback City’s” best efforts to connect local ecosystem players. Also learn how nationally renowned organizations are implementing “anchor” strategies to maximize supplier diversity within large corporations.

Make Some Noise: Marketing Strategies to Differentiate Your Program from the Rest of Your Ecosystem

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m

As entrepreneurs look for resources to help launch their companies, they often have several options of where to start within their regions. Learn fresh strategies to market your program most effectively while communicating your entrepreneurship center’s unique value proposition.  This workshop will focus on tried and true ecosystem methodologies, and will tackle everyday challenges entrepreneurship center managers and others organizing an ecosystem to benefit local entrepreneurs face. This workshop is also based on research funded by JP Morgan Chase.

Regional Revitalization: Transforming and Adapting Existing Resources to Serve the Entrepreneurial Community

1:00 – 3:30 p.m.

A panel of industry leaders from Detroit will share some of the strategies they have employed and lessons they have learned in working to revitalize a city that had been on a long-term economic decline. Find out how the city is becoming a hub for entrepreneurship, and what you can do to help your community along a similar path.

Tuesday, September 18

The second day of e.Builders will feature more interactive programming than the first, with discussion sessions in four different, topical tracks: funding opportunities, redevelopment, inclusivity, and stage two company programming. You’ll have the chance to participate in three different discussions throughout the day, sharing your own insights while also learning from peers. Specific sessions include:

Funding Opportunities Track

Funding from Foundations

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Foundation funding managers will lead the discussion on what they look for from grant seekers as well as how these their organizations select funding areas. Participants will then share how to identify foundations with appropriate funding for entrepreneurship center operations or how to build a fund for your entrepreneurs. Additional topics will include ways to apply for and/or manage foundation funding.

Venture Capital/Angel Funding

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Interact with a panel of seasoned investors to explore the differences between Angel and Venture Capital firms and what each might be looking for when deciding to invest. The discussion will also take a look at some of the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to secure these types of funding.

Community Development Fund Institutions (CDFI)/Regional Seed Funds

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

This discussion, led by fund managers, will focus on what a CDFI is and how entrepreneurship centers can help clients access them. This funding resource is often underutilized – find out how to maximize the potential uses of such funds.

Innovation Districts

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Many cities are forming innovation districts – specific neighborhoods or areas deliberately conducive to startups – to help encourage entrepreneurship to flourish. Join this discussion to talk about your experiences with this type of strategy and to learn from others what has worked and what hasn’t in a variety of cities across the US and Canada.

Workforce Development

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Shifting a workforce from traditional industries to focus more on small business and entrepreneurship is not always easy. Find out what strategies others have been using, and share thoughts on ways the workforce of a given region can effectively be redeployed or taught anew to found emerging businesses.

Place-Based Incubators

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Place-based incubators focus on developing businesses that will stay in a certain neighborhood or community to create economic activity, notably in economically distressed regions. Discuss strategies for starting and/or running a place-based incubator or accelerator to help improve and develop the economy in your community.  

Women in Tech

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Find out about some of the models of programming for women entrepreneurs that are recognized in the industry as the most effective. Share your thoughts and hear from others on what hurdles women in the tech industry face, and how to help them overcome to succeed in this traditionally male-dominated sector.

Minority Entrepreneurs

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Many programs have been working to address the challenges minorities face in starting companies – discuss what strategies have been most successful so far and how those strategies can be implemented in different communities. Talk about what roadblocks still exist and brainstorm ways entrepreneurship centers could help entrepreneurs get around them.

Veteran Entrepreneurs

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

More than 15 years after the start of the war in Iraq, there are hundreds of thousands of veterans who have moved on from the military and are looking for innovative ways to use their unique skill sets. Discuss ways to support and develop entrepreneurship amongst military veterans.

Incubating Gazelles

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Gazelles – or high-growth companies that are increasing revenues by 20% or more annually – have different needs from typical startups following more traditional trajectories. This discussion will identify some of those needs and how an entrepreneurship center can be prepared to meet them.

Stage Two Programming

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Explore how to best serve stage two companies – what programs and resources are most helpful for them? How do they fit into an entrepreneurship center? At what point do you encourage them to fly on their own? Discuss these questions and more.

Stage Two Founders/Executives

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Working with the founders of stage two companies is much different from working with entrepreneurs who are still in the beginning phases of launching a startup. Discuss what these founders need most from you, and how to be an effective mentor/coach to them.

When you go through the registration process, you will have the opportunity to select the sessions you would like to attend. All are included in the registration fees listed below, as are breakfast and lunch.

Registration Fee

$350

Click Here to Register!

Cancellation policy

All cancellations must be sent in writing to [email protected] There is a $75 cancellation fee for requests received by August 24th, 2018. No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after August 24, 2018.  Substitutions welcome in lieu of cancellations!