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ABOUT THE FLINT ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM
SIPI was contracted by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (C.S. Mott) in late 2019 to engage grantees within the Foundation’s entrepreneurship portfolio to catalog the work of each grantee related to entrepreneurship through analyzing the local Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. We were also tasked with researching and illustrating the various Pathways that entrepreneurs travel during their Entrepreneurial Journey.
To complete these deliverables, SIPI engaged in three primary activities:
1. Research existing models for entrepreneurial ecosystem development, including interviews with leaders in similar communities.
2. Co-facilitate a convening event with C.S. Mott grantees to introduce the project and solicit feedback.
3. In-depth interviews with each grantee regarding their organization’s role in the Flint Entrepreneurial Ecosystem to identify opportunities for further ecosystem development.
our vision
Flint has a rich history of innovation and entrepreneurship that led to unprecedented prosperity during the 20th Century. However, as those businesses and industries matured, Flint focused on large companies and suppliers, and lost its entrepreneurial spirit.
In the 21st Century, as the economy has shifted away from large manufacturing, there has been a resurgence of entrepreneurial activity and a general recognition of the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation to economic growth and quality of life in the region.
As Flint and Genesee County continue to transition from a manufacturing-based economy that is heavily dependent upon one industry, toward a more resilient economy, we are presented with a unique opportunity to create a hub for entrepreneurship and small business innovation. Flint and Genesee County residents, especially young people, need an alternative pathway to the traditional high school-college-career pipeline.
As a budding hub of entrepreneurship, Flint has the opportunity to learn from challenges that faced cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh that began investing heavily in development of entrepreneurial ecosystems in the early 2000s. Developing strong relationships within the Flint Entrepreneurial Ecosystem early in the process ensures effective growth that is responsive to the needs of the community.
C.S. Mott, SIPI and each of the grantees we engaged, agree that a collaborative approach is best to increase the resources and opportunities available to organizations supporting entrepreneurs and, most importantly, entrepreneurs themselves.
the ultimate outcome is to lay the groundwork for Flint to accelerate progress toward becoming a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation.
