November 2015 Newsletter
Ben Franklin once said, "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning." It’s therefore fitting that an institution bearing his name, Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP), has taken those words to heart. Since its founding in 1983, it’s become the leading technology-based economic development programs through continuous expansion.
Over the years, Pennsylvania has faced economic challenges as manufacturing and industrial jobs have left the region. BFTP has sought to help the region build new businesses and diversify its economy by providing both early-stage and established companies with funding, business and technical expertise, and access to a network of innovative, expert resources. BFTP estimates that it has created 140,000 jobs and boosted the Pennsylvania economy by $6.6 billion.
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November 2015 Newsletter
In September, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest bus rolled through its 16th city, Philadelphia, as part of an effort to shine a spotlight on emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems across the United States. As members of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), we approached the many conversations throughout the day with founders, academic leaders, political leaders and others across Philadelphia with some of NACIE’s policy proposals to ignite innovation in mind.
Philadelphia has a rich history of innovation, thanks to Benjamin Franklin and the founding fathers. But the city has a modern side as well, with a thriving arts community and state-of-the-art medical facilities and research centers. The startup scene has been called “scrappy” – in a good way – and it’s gaining traction as it leverages its millennial population, the arrival of new funds like First Round Capital and the emergence of rising tech stars such as Arcweb, RJ Metrics and Curalate.
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November 2015 Newsletter
Entrepreneurship is a driving force in the new economy. While debates continue around whether entrepreneurs are born or can be created, one thing is clear: people learn a great deal from the experiences of others. Entrepreneurs especially learn a great deal “on the job” and often find inspiration and mentorship from those who have “been there, done that.”
As “America’s Innovation Agency,” the Department of Commerce focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and businesses of every size. For example, Commerce leads the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative, which works with celebrated American entrepreneurs to harness their energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad.
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Commerce Blog
November 6, 2015
Entrepreneurship is a driving force in the new economy. While debates continue around whether entrepreneurs are born or can be created, one thing is clear: people learn a great deal from the experiences of others. Entrepreneurs especially learn a great deal “on the job” and often find inspiration and mentorship from those who have “been there, done that.”
As “America’s Innovation Agency,” the Department of Commerce focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and businesses of every size. For example, Commerce leads the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative, which works with celebrated American entrepreneurs to harness their energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both at home and abroad.
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Commerce Blog
By Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams
November 2, 2015
Problem solvers, game changers, dreamers, and doers – these are just a few descriptors commonly associated with entrepreneurs all across the U.S. Today, more than ever, we see the power and impact new businesses have throughout developing communities as these startups create jobs, improve quality of life, and help define the characteristics that make communities alive and unique.
Last April, in the midst of the unrest taking place in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, we saw first-hand how important micro-business owners and entrepreneurs are to supporting economic opportunity and jobs locally. However, too often people in underserved communities lack the opportunities and resources to put their dreams into action, and as a basic component of economic self-sufficiency, it is ever more important we strive to support entrepreneurship across every community in America.
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