There is much talk about “ecosystems” these days. Ecosystems are defined as any system or network of interconnecting and interacting parts. We are all part of many ecosystems – our families, our neighborhoods, schools, churches, work places, even our yoga studio. Each is made up of individuals who create an ecosystem that works together for the sake of the whole.

Using farms and rainforests as a metaphor, Victor Wang of the Kansas City Kauffman Foundation defines entrepreneurial ecosystems. In his brilliant commentary*, he describes the goal of most farms – to grow and harvest crops as cheaply as possible. When weeds grow, you pull them. They are the outliers. But in a rainforest, everything is a weed. New weeds sprout everyday. They are nurtured and grow. Any one of them may just be the weed that changes the world. To build an environment that nurtures weeds, you plant trees in a sunny place, you cultivate the soil, you add moisture. You grow an entire system that creates a complete environment. And you watch as the weeds turn into crops.

For the past few years in our city, representatives from many different public, private and philanthropic organizations have been collaborating to grow an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Why? Because our country was founded on entrepreneurship. Ford, Rockefeller, Kauffman, Musk, all are the entrepreneurs and innovators who made and continue to make the world a better place. And we need more of them.

We all agree that entrepreneurs and innovators, the makers, doers and dreamers, are the ones who make the world a better place. How do we cultivate and empower more of them? We create an environment, an ecosystem, that allows them to thrive. We surround them with human relationships, networks and environments of support.

And for non-traditional entrepreneurs - Women, people of color, immigrant and low income popluations, we work even harder to eliminate the barriers that have traditionally kept them away. We welcome everyone to grow together in our entrepreneurial rainforest.

Soon, you see behavior changes. Soon, more things become intuitive. Soon, you start to drive change.

Can we reinvent the economy in our city? Can we become less reliant on government jobs by replacing them with jobs created by entrepreneurs? Can we nurture start-ups, grow small and large companies that will provide living wage jobs, created here by local heroes who found their inspiration in this ecosystem?

We think we can. We think we can through the continued efforts of cross sector partnerships in which community thought leaders collectively nurture an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the collective use of all. 

Kelli Cooper

Albuquerque Community Foundation

*Victor Wang’s theory inspired the name of the first building at InnovateABQ, appropriately named The Rainforest.