The Startup Community Way

AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREATING A THRIVING STARTUP COMMUNITY IN YOUR CITY USING THE THEORY OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS The Startup Community Way zooms out to look at the big picture even as it provides a close, highly detailed look at each of the actors, factors, and conditions that can combine to create a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem . . . The work of innovation is continuous, and thinking truly long-term is crucial in order to reap its true benefits. What I mean by long-term thinking is an ongoing, honest, and comprehensive consideration of what we want our companies to look like-and our country and our world-for upcoming generations. In order to have the future we strive for, one in which opportunity and assets are fairly distributed, and thoughtful management and care for the planet and all of the people who live on it with us is central, we need to look beyond the right now to the realization of all the promise of the work that's already been done. This book is a perfect entry point for doing just that. -From the Foreword by Eric Ries When entrepreneurs, investors, and visionaries come together in one location to develop companies and support each other, magic happens. From bestselling author and entrepreneur Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway, entrepreneurship expert and startup advisor, The Startup Community Way introduces a new framework for thinking about startup communities and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Using the theory of complex systems, the authors show how you can foster openness, collaboration, and creativity that can't be controlled or engineered-but that will generate successful entrepreneurs and a vibrant society. Following up Feld's bestselling Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City, this book expounds the principles of innovation through collaboration. You'll discover how to: Provide and encourage committed, long-term leadership from within the startup community, bucking outdated top-down trends Embrace unpredictability, dynamism, and diversity to encourage the widest possible participation in the startup community Assess the applicability of various measurement models for your unique startup situation, and recognize the long-term nature of the entrepreneurial ecosystem development Focus on support and collaboration, root out unhelpful behavior, and build an engaged, positive sum mindset into your startup culture Anyone engaged in the business of innovation will find endless inspiration in The Startup Community Way. Regardless of your role, you'll find new ways to engage with your startup community while building a long-term, healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem.