Fort Worth Small Business & Entrepreneurial Ecosystem AuditPresented by: Jim Damicis & Erik Pages

Building from the Economic Development Strategic Plan

Strategy Summary: • Elevate the role of TECH Fort Worth as a connector/convener

• Expand the reach of entrepreneur networking among startup and tech communities

• Restructure Business Assistance Center (BAC) based on a community wide audit – define services for startups differently than small businesses

High Level Findings: • Building blocks for a higher level of entrepreneurship exist;

however, Fort Worth lacks a robust networking environment for local entrepreneurs and tech workers

• Engagement with entrepreneurs is not measured

Your Team

Jim DamicisSenior Vice President

Erik PagesPresident

Christa O. FranziSr. Project Manager

About Camoin Associates & EntreWorks Consulting

Founded in 1999Completed work in 34 states

Employ 25 full-time staff

All things Economic Development

Started in late 2002Worked in 46 states and overseas

Recent project focus areas:

Innovation/Entrepreneurship

Economic Diversification (Coal/Defense)

Advanced Manufacturing

Next-Generation Business Retention/Expansion Programs

Approach

Project Launch1

Small Business & Entrepreneurial Support Assessment (Interviews & Desktop Research)

2

3 Benchmarking & Case Studies

4

5

6

Opportunity-Gap Analysis

Implementation Strategy Design

Presentation

7Implementation Launch

Approach

Small Business & Entrepreneurial Support Assessment

Inventory of Ecosystem Assets: Capital Business Services Education and Information Programs Talent Networks Real Estate Culture

Benchmarking

Indicators & Counties Indictors Self-Employment: All

Employment, Race & Gender Business by Ownership: Female,

Minority, Veteran Businesses by Stage: 1-employee

& 2-9 employees Patents Issued Indices: Human Capital, Startup

Activity, Main Street, High Growth

Benchmark Counties Atlanta, GA (Fulton Co.) Austin, TX (Travis Co.) Columbus, OH (Franklin Co.) Kansas City, MO (Jackson Co.) Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Co.) Miami, FL (Miami-Dade Co.) Nashville, TN( Davidson Co.) Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny Co.) Saint Louis, MO (Saint Louis Co.) Washington DC

Benchmarking

Overall Ranking

Of the 15 indicators evaluated, Fort Worth ranks #2.

Overall Ranking1. Atlanta, GA (Fulton Co.)

2. Fort Worth, TX (Tarrant Co.)2. Washington DC4. Austin, TX (Travis Co.)5. Miami, FL (Miami-Dade Co.)6. Columbus, OH (Franklin Co.)7. Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Co.)8. Nashville, TN( Davidson Co.)9. Kansas City, MO (Jackson Co.)9. Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny Co.)11. Saint Louis, MO (Saint Louis Co.)

Rank

2

Benchmarking

Minority Entrepreneurship

Black or African American Self-employment Average

Hispanic or Latino Self-employment Leading

Benchmarking

Women Entrepreneurship

• Overall rate of self-employment is below average.

• Rate of women-owned firms is average.

Benchmarking

Indices Ranking

94 4 65

Innovation Index

Stats America2016

Startup Activity

Kauffman2017

Human Capital & Knowledge

Stats America2016

High Growth

Kauffman2017

Main Street

Kauffman2017

What success requires:

Understanding Culture

Language, values, attitudes, traditions, and

norms supporting entrepreneurs

Building Relationships

With influencers and partners

Assessing Continuously

Measuring and tracking with data

• Expand current city programming to provide a wider variety of content related to minority entrepreneurship.

• Partner with the minority chambers.

• Bring programming to the neighborhoods.

Preliminary Initiatives

Enhance Support for Minority Entrepreneurship

• Create programming for middle school and high school students to build a pipeline and a culture of young entrepreneurs.

• Middle school is especially critical for young women.

Preliminary Initiatives

Introduce Programming for Youth Entrepreneurship

• Build on the Sourcelink investment and make it easier to access services.

• Create a city BizCare office and expand efforts to build shared services.

• Work with chambers to connect small business and entrepreneurs to larger existing businesses.

• Make city services more small-business friendly.

• Create guides and new staff position to help local small business owners interact with City agencies.

• Continue and expand efforts at the BAC.

Preliminary Initiatives

Open the Door Wider to Business

• Build a compelling brand for Fort Worth’s entrepreneurial ecosystem

• Tell the story that Fort Worth is a place for entrepreneurship

• Enhance the public face of the Guinn Entrepreneurial Campus

• Create new awards and other programming to help spread the word

• Continue to celebrate and leverage Global Entrepreneurship Week

Preliminary Initiatives

Connect and Communicate around Fort Worth’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Internally and Externally

Thank You

120 West Ave. Suite 303Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

518-899-2608www.camoinassociates.com

3407 North Edison StreetArlington, VA 22207

(703) 237-2506www.entreworks.net