What is an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem?
An Entrepreneurial Ecosystem is a business support network routed in a specific place. There are six components that define the environment an entrepreneur or business owner will encounter when they begin to build or grow their businesses.
It is the combination of these six elements that create the environment, or ecosystem, that a business exists. When all of these pieces are in place, it creates a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and businesses to grow and thrive.
Earlier this year we conducted a series of surveys, discussions, and a focus group with local stakeholders and entrepreneurs to see what opportunities and resources exist in our business environment as well as to identify where there are challenges and issues for those when they start out or aim to grow their business here. The feedback and stories we received, as well as our ongoing research and outreach to our business community, shapes our EE project going forward. We are continuing to generate ideas and to find a variety of local programming solutions that address aspects of the EE framework and improve the accessibility, vitality, and resilience of Westbrook’s EE. Below is working resource for this project so please continue to check in as our work continues to evolve.
