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2019 Ecosystem Summit

2019 ecosystem summit

Redefining Economic Development through Entrepreneurship

NC IDEA hosted its 1st annual Ecosystem Summit on November 18-19, 2019 in the
Research Triangle region. The Summit is the only statewide conference that brings
together diverse leaders to address what is needed to support all entrepreneurs and
create a shared vision of making our state the best place to start and grow a business.

In November 2019, NC IDEA hosted the first-ever Ecosystem Summit with the ambition to catalyze entrepreneurship as an economic development strategy for the state of North Carolina. The Summit was an unprecedented gathering of nearly 500 individuals and organizations who support, encourage and nourish North Carolina’s entrepreneurs. Attendees came together to share what is working; address issues and concerns; meet and network with those doing similar work in other communities; and celebrate and promote entrepreneurs and their successes across the state.

Since our inaugural Summit in 2019, NC IDEA continues to foster partnerships and unique connections that will make a meaningful difference for North Carolina’s entrepreneurial community. We invite you to join hundreds of accomplished peers working together to redefine equitable economic development practices.

2019 AGENDA

Keynote speakers

roy cooper

Roy Cooper

Governor of North Carolina
Jonathan Ortmans

Jonathan Ortmans

Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)
Gary

Gary Schoeniger

The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative
amy nelson

Amy Nelson

Rethink Capital Partners
ted d

Ted Dintersmith

Change Agent

2019 Sponsors

video gallery

2019 Ecosystem Summit Opening Remarks
2019 Ecosystem Summit Closing Remarks

photo gallery

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CONTACT

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Roy Cooper

Governor

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Roy Cooper is a North Carolina politician who serves as the 75th Governor of North Carolina from January 2017 to the present. Born on June 13, 1957, in Nash County, North Carolina, he is a member of the Democratic Party.

Cooper began his political career as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 1991. He then went on to become the North Carolina Attorney General, a position he held for four terms from 2001 to 2017. As Attorney General, he focused on issues such as consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental preservation.

During his tenure as Governor, Cooper has been involved in several significant policy areas, including education, healthcare, environmental protection, and disaster response. He has also been an advocate for expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, pushing for improvements in the state’s education system, and addressing climate change concerns.

Jonathan Ortmans

President

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Jonathan Ortmans is founder and president of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), a platform of programs and initiatives to help new firms start and scale within one global entrepreneurial ecosystem. GEN is headquartered in Washington, DC, but operates in 170 countries where it works to foster healthier local ecosystems to help entrepreneurs unleash their ideas and turn them into promising new ventures—creating jobs, unearthing innovations for society and strengthening economic stability around the world.

As an economist, Ortmans worked on Capitol Hill and served as CEO of a health care and trade policy think tank. His entrepreneurship experience includes two successful startups. He has served as a longtime advisor to the Kauffman Foundation and currently serves on the Board of the Center for American Entrepreneurship in Washington, DC. Outside the United States, beyond chairing the Boards of dozens of GEN affiliates, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Entrepreneurship in Moscow.

Ortmans speaks and writes about high-growth entrepreneurship regularly, and has emerged as a global strategist for healthier ecosystems for entrepreneurs around the world.

Gary Schoeniger

CEO and Founder

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Author, founder, speaker and internationally recognized thought leader in entrepreneurial mindset education, training, and consulting. He is interested in the hidden mechanisms and the underlying factors that stimulate entrepreneurial behavior. Gary founded the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative, a global leader in entrepreneurial mindset education, professional development, and consulting services.

He co-authored Who Owns The Ice House: Eight Life Lessons From An Unlikely Entrepreneur, alongside Pulitzer nominee Clifton Taulbert.

Amy Nelson

Chief Strategy Officer

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Amy Nelson is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Rethink Capital Partners. Her previous role was as CEO for Venture For America after building the organization alongside Founder Andrew Yang for four years. Amy led efforts that have more than tripled the organization’s fundraising, and drove VFA’s investment in building out its regional efforts. Her time at VFA centered around supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, having conceptualized the organization’s Accelerator program and Seed Fund.

Prior to VFA, Amy held business development positions at B Lab, Relief International and Cambodian Children’s Fund. She has helped dozens of nonprofit organizations with fundraising and strategy over the years as a consultant and advisor. Currently, Amy sits on the boards of Venture For America and Safe Haven Medical Outreach in Cambodia. She is a member of the Nationswell Council and Forbes Nonprofit Council. Amy is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and NYU’s Stern School of Business. 

Ted Dintersmith

Founder

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A tsunami of innovation is reshaping society, with profound implications for the future of our children and our democracy. Ted Dintersmith believes our education priorities will make, or break, our nation’s long-term prospects. For the past decade, he has immersed himself in education, producing films (including Most Likely to Succeed) and writing books (including What School Could Be) about the transformational power when educators are trusted to create inspiring learning experiences. Much of his professional career centered on technology innovation, including being ranked as the top-performing U.S. investor for the years 1995-1999.

Early in his career, he was a legislative analyst in the U.S. Congress, focused on technology policy. In 2012, he was appointed by President Obama to represent the U.S. at the United Nations General Assembly. In 2018, he received the prestigious NEA Friend of Education Award