integral analysis of the entrepreneurial ecocsystem in savannah

Running head: THE ENTRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN SAVANNAH

An Integral Analysis of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Savannah, Georgia USA

Benjamin S. Cheeks

International School of Management, Paris, France

Author Note

This paper was submitted to fulfill the requirements of 7025-MSME - Managing Small

and Medium Sized Enterprises. I would like to thank Dr. Tobias De Coning and my fellow ISM

doctoral students for making the class an interactive and successful learning environment. In

addition, I would like to thank all of those within Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem that

agreed to be interviewed.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Benjamin S. Cheeks.

Email: [email protected]

THE ENTRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IN SAVANNAH

Cheeks, Benjamin S. 2

Abstract

As we enter this integral era, how should the entrepreneurial ecosystem of a community be

analyzed? More advanced models are necessary to deal with the intricate challenges faced by

communities as they develop and become increasingly more complex. This paper proposes a

framework using the quadrants and levels of Integral Theory for analyzing an entrepreneurial

ecosystem. This framework can be adopted by community leaders, entrepreneurs, and support

organizations keen to implement a more comprehensive and integrated approach. The

framework was applied to the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the City of Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Based upon this analysis, several interventions were identified to enable further the ecosystems

development.

Keywords: entrepreneurial ecosystem, integral theory, levels of development, spiral dynamics,

action research, Savannah



An Integral Analysis of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Savannah, Georgia USA

The Savannah, Georgia region is poised to become one of a new breed of innovative

Southern cities within the United States. Savannah is supported by its strategic location and

intermodal transportation assets, high quality of life, emerging creative class, and existing

industrial base. Savannah offers unspoiled natural resources, low cost of living, numerous

higher education institutions, vibrant arts and entertainment, great food, and Southern

hospitality.

The City of Savannah seeks to usher in a period of innovation and reinvention to help

ensure the citys ongoing prosperity. Its stated ambition is to help build a strong and

sustainable entrepreneurial community that will attract entrepreneurs, mentors, business

coaches, and investment opportunities as well as provide an outlet for the latent talent within the

region. Savannah can become a hotbed for entrepreneurship. In many ways, it is an ideal

environment for high-growth startup companies. The sizable presence of executives who have

either retired to Savannah or own a second home is a rich pool of opportunity. Representative

companies include Coca-Cola, General Motors, T. Rowe Price and many more. In addition, the

Savannah region benefits from the proximity of great learning institutions such as:

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Southern University

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Savannah State University

Savannah College of Art and Design

While the City of Savannah will continue to lead efforts to increase the level of

entrepreneurship through supporting small business creation, they realize that this task cannot

be successfully undertaken alone. Partnerships between the city and various stakeholders

remain a critical success factor.



The current challenge becomes giving the stakeholders the most accurate and relevant

information from which to act in pursuit of their cause. The purpose of this paper is to present

an analysis of the underlying dynamics of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Savannah, GA and

recommend interventions to improve said ecosystem. This document should be viewed as a

strategic framework rather than a blueprint or a detailed implementation plan.

Approach

Given the fact that the author of this paper is also a stakeholder within the

entrepreneurial ecosystem of Savannah, action research will be used. With action research, the

actors in the field are actively involved in the research project. McNiff (2013) describes how

studies using actions research seek to:

1. marshal change in a system in which the researcher operates on a daily basis in order to

foster continuous growth and development.

2. understand change mechanisms by stepping into the system to determine key leverage

points.

3. build relationships with other stakeholders in the system to develop shared meaning, a

common purpose, and an esprit de corps in order to improve the current state.

Actions research involves the following seven step process (Sagor, 2000).

1. Select a focus

2. Clarify framework and theories

3. Identify research questions

4. Collect data

5. Analyze data

6. Report results

7. Take informed action



Focus

For this paper, the research will focus on improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem in

Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Frameworks and Theories

There are a variety of frameworks available to assess and track the development of an

entrepreneurial ecosystem. ANDE (2013) reviewed nine of these approaches in an effort to

develop an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Diagnostic Toolkit. These nine tools consist of:

1. Babson College - Babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project

2. Council on Competitiveness - Asset Mapping Roadmap

3. George Mason University - Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index

4. Hwang, V.H. - Innovation Rainforest Blueprint

5. Koltai and Company - Six + Six

6. GSM Association Information and Communication Technology Entrepreneurship

7. Organisation Economic Co-operation and Development - Entrepreneurship

Measurement Framework

8. World Bank - Doing Business

9. World Economic Forum - Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

The range of complexity within these frameworks varies from the Asset Mapping Roadmap with

150 individual indicators to the more conceptual Koltai and Babson models. From over 200

indicators, ANDE (2013) identified the ones they deemed most relevant and created a

comprehensive list of 65 indicators across 8 domains.

A tenth framework was recently published by Stangler & Bell-Masterson (2015). This

framework looks at the indicators of entrepreneur system vibrancy. These measures are

density, fluidity, connectivity, and diversity.



While all of these frameworks are careful to take a look at the entrepreneurial ecosystem

holistically, none examines the ecosystem with the thoroughness of the four perspectives model

of Integral Theory. Therefore, for this paper, the author has chosen to develop a new model to

examine Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem based upon Integral Theory.

Integral Theory. Integral Theory is portrayed by Wilber (2001) as a theory of

everything. It attempts to include as many perspectives as possible to develop a coherent view

of the topic of study. Integral Theory is often represented in a 2x2 matrix. Each quadrant of

the matrix represents a perspective as well as a dimension of reality. The two axes of the matrix

are interior/exterior and individual/collective. When combined, the following perspectives

(intentional, behavioral, cultural, and social) can be distinguished: "I" (Upper Left quadrant),

"It" (Upper Right quadrant), "We" (Lower Left quadrant), and "Its" (Lower Right quadrant)

(Wilber, 2001).

The next step is to overlay the dimensions of reality within the 2x2 matrix. These

dimensions are aspects of the world that are always present. For example, everyone has some

form of subjective experience such as thoughts and beliefs, as well as objective experiences such

as observable behaviors and physiological components. These dimensions occur both alone and

as members of groups (Wilber 2001).

When the perspectives and dimensions of reality are combined they result in the 2x2

matrix seen in Figure 1.



Figure 1. Integral Theory. This 2x2 matrix illustrates the perspectives and dimensions of

Integral Theory (Wilber, 1997).

Levels of Development. When applying Integral Theory, it is also important to

understand the development levels within the different individuals and stakeholder groups.

The concept of levels of development emanated from the work of Professor Clare Graves

and his study on value systems. Grave describes a value system as a way of defining reality in

response to life conditions. Through his research, Grave determined that humans had

developed eight core values. Values can belong to individuals, groups, and societies. It is



important to note that these value systems do not distinguish types of people, but rather the

thinking in people (Marrewijk & Were, 2003).

From Gravess research, Beck & Cowan (1996) developed the concept of Spiral Dynamics.

Spiral dynamics describes how people and groups will remain in their current level of

development until they realize that their current actions and behaviors are no longer adequate in

addressing the current issues. However, once this realization is made, through adaptive

intelligence, individuals and groups will move to a higher value system by developing new

patterns of behaviors to confront the higher complexity of their new reality. Each successive

level of development not only surpasses the previous stage, but also includes the previous stages.

It is this pattern, or spiral, that describes how people, cultures, and systems evolve.

It is critical that the ecosystem be analyzed and solutions developed from a four quadrant

perspective and aligned to the relevant level of development. Beck (2001) summarizes this

point best when he writes:

Single quadrant solutions will fail to make a significant difference. Both interior (within

the hearts and minds of individuals and cultures) and exterior (the exterior

arrangements, economic perks, political structures, and social rules and regulations)

must be meshed, coordinated, and aligned to the relevant level (stages of social

development) to get maximum impact.

Research Questions

Using the four quadrants of Integral theory, four questions were developed to gain insight

into the different perspectives and values of the stakeholders within Savannahs entrepreneurial

ecosystem.

1. Intention: Why is it important to you to be involved in Savannahs entrepreneurial

ecosystem (Upper-Left quadrant)



2. Behavior: What actions do you take to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in

Savannah? (Upper-Right quadrant)

3. Relationships: What other groups within Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem do you

interact with and what is your impression of them? (Lower-Left quadrant)

4. Systems: What are the issues facing Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem?

Lower-Right quadrant)

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Data collection began with exploratory desk research on the key stakeholders within the

ecosystem. From there, a cross-section of active individuals and organizations within the

ecosystem were identified as candidates to interview. In total, 16 different individuals were

interviewed (Table 1). The stakeholders groups identified were entrepreneurs, investors,

supporting organizations, universities, local government, and the local media (see appendix for a

detailed description of each stakeholder). Financial institutes were not included due to the fact

that in the US, banks rarely provide loans directly to the startup community. While small

business development loans are available from banks, these are usually coordinated through the

Small Business Administration (SBA) and the SBA would be the entrepreneurs main point of

interaction through this process.



Table 1

List of Different Stakeholders Interviewed in this Study

Stakeholder Interviews

Entrepreneurs 5

Investors 3

Supporting Organizations 4

Universities 2

Local Government 1

Local Media 1

Upon identifying the key stakeholders, each was interviewed using a semi-structured

interview process centered on the four research questions. This data was then analyzed from a

four quadrant perspective in order to determine:

1. the levels of development within the ecosystem.

2. an overview of the interests and values within the ecosystem.

3. the favorable elements of the ecosystem.

4. the key issues facing the ecosystem.

Results

Levels of Development

Individuals and groups within the entrepreneurial ecosystem will apply values and create

supporting structures based upon current conditions. From analyzing the data compiled from

the interviews and using a framework from Marrewijk & Werre (2003), four different levels of

development within Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem can be observed. These

development levels reflect the different motivations for support of the entrepreneurial

ecosystem. They are defined in Table 2.



Table 2

Levels of Development within Savannahs Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Ambition level Description Example

Compliance-driven Contributions to the

entrepreneurial ecosystem at this

level are motivated by duty or

obligation. For these people

regulation provides order and

stability within the system.

A clerk at the office that grants

business licenses.

A loan officer that processes small

business loans.

Profit-driven Contributions to the

entrepreneurial ecosystem at this

level are motivated by personal

gain, such as profit or pleasure.

An entrepreneur only looking to

make money and contributes to

the entrepreneurial ecosystem only

to the extent it will serve him.

An investor that chooses

investments solely based upon

return.

Someone involved in the

ecosystem because they enjoy

associating with entrepreneurs.

Caring Contributions to the

entrepreneurial system at this level

are motivated by a desire to

balance social and economic

An individuals or group that desire

to create a more vibrant and

diverse community.



concerns to create a more vibrant

and balanced community.

Synergistic Contributions to the

entrepreneurial system at this level

are motivated by the belief that a

strong and thriving

entrepreneurial ecosystem is

beneficial to the community as a

whole and offers the best path

from poverty to prosperity.

A person or group within the

ecosystem that believes that a

rising tide lifts all boats. These

individuals and groups see a

strong entrepreneurial ecosystem

as a way to improve the

socioeconomics of the city.

When analyzing the data to determine the levels of development within the ecosystem,

there was one unexpected finding. Several of the individuals interviewed interact with the

entrepreneurial ecosystem through more than one stakeholder group and depending upon the

group with which they identify at the time of questioning, their level of development is different.

For example, I interviewed one entrepreneur who is also an investor. When identifying as an

entrepreneur, this individual operates from a caring level of development. Her interest in

supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem is to help create a vibrant and diverse community.

However, when identifying as an investor, she reverts to a profit-driven level. While more

research is required around this idea, the data suggests that when engaging an individual, it is

important to understand the group with which they are identifying at that time in order to best

communicate.



Interests and Values within the Ecosystem

Table 3 summarizes the interests and values of the stakeholders within Savannahs

entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Table 3

Interests and Values of Stakeholders

Stakeholder Interests Values

Entrepreneurs Making money

Having self-expression and

freedom in their work

Creating a vibrant and diverse

community

Creating a strong entrepreneurial

ecosystem to support their

business

Attracting other entrepreneurs to

the region

Being an entrepreneur is a strong

part of their identity

Profit Driven: first-time

entrepreneurs were more

interested in profit than giving

back to the ecosystem

Caring: serial entrepreneurs felt

that a healthy entrepreneurial

ecosystem would lead to a more

vibrant and diverse community

Investors Making money

Associating with entrepreneurs

Making deals

Creating a healthy ecosystem to

produce prepared entrepreneurs

and also to help their investments

grow

Profit Driven: the investors

interviewed were primarily driven

by profit and the enjoyment they

received from associating with

entrepreneurs.

Caring: to a lesser degree. The

investors wanted a more vibrant

and diverse community, but not at

the expense of ROI.



Support

Organizations

Creating a healthy ecosystem

Creating a strong sense of

community and support among

the entrepreneurs

Creating a vibrant and diverse

community

Preparing entrepreneurs for

success by providing training,

mentoring, and access to

resources; including financial

resources

Caring: all of the support

organizations were caring; one in

particular has a strong synergistic

perspective

Universities Graduating students prepared to

support the needs of industry and

the entrepreneurial community.

Creating a positive impact on the

entrepreneurial ecosystem

Improving the competiveness and

the innovativeness of the

ecosystems entrepreneurs

Caring: the universities want to

create a strong entrepreneurial

ecosystem to help the community

realize its human potential and

social responsibility. However,

they fall short of synergistic as

they narrowly define their role

within in the ecosystem.

Local

Government

Serving the interests of the people

of Savannah

Creating jobs

Creating a more supporting and

efficient regulatory framework to

lessen the burden on the citys

Compliance driven with a caring

perspective from the government

employees.



entrepreneurs

Determining how the

entrepreneurial community can

best support the city.

Local Media Finding a good story

Associating with entrepreneurs

Profit Driven: local media

desires to find compelling stories

that interest their readers.



Favorable Elements of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Figure 2 organizes the favorable elements of Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem using

the perspectives of Integral Theory.

Figure 2. Favorable findings. This figure uses the four quadrant model to illustrate the

favorable findings within Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem.



Key Issues and Barriers Facing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Figure 3 organizes the issues and barriers facing Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem

using the perspectives of Integral Theory.

1

Figure 3. Issues and barriers. This figure uses the four quadrant model to illustrate the issues

and barriers within Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem.

1 a pejorative term, referring to someone who engages in cronyism among men who have known each other for a

long period of time. Collectively these people are referred to using the slang term,good ol' boy network (also

known as an old boys' club). (Good ol boy, 2015)



Proposed Interventions

From the analysis, several interventions were identified with the intent of helping the

stakeholders better coordinate their efforts and to enable further development of Savannahs

entrepreneurial ecosystem. These interventions are grouped into the areas of public/private

partnerships, expansion of current services, data collection, education, and public relations.

Public / Private Partnerships

Provide entrepreneurs an opportunity to beta test their products and ideas by

accessing city resources. The City of Savannah is doing this with Quickit

(http://www.thequickitapp.com) to manage parking tickets. This collaboration

could serve as a model for future interactions.

Promote solutions from local entrepreneurs to enable STEM education in the

local schools. Two local startups, UrbanSTEM (http://www.urbnstem.com) and

CREATOMbuilder have created products and services in this space.

Expanding Existing Programs

Provide additional funding to The Creative Coast to create a Community Catalyst

position. It would be this persons role to monitor the pulse of the

entrepreneurial ecosystem and ensure coordinated and collaborative activities

among the stakeholders. This person could also serve as industry outreach to

engage the regions existing industry into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Coordinate with Georgia Tech to expand the CEISMC program

(https://www.ceismc.gatech.edu) in the Savannah area. The Center for

Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC)

(pronounced like "seismic") is a partnership uniting the Georgia Institute of

Technology with educational groups, schools, corporations, and opinion leaders

throughout the state of Georgia.



Create more opportunities and forums for local entrepreneurs to link with the

regions large industry. Examples include connecting the regions entrepreneurs

with the Port of Savannah to create innovative logistics solutions or with the

tourism industry to create innovative tourism products.

Data Collection

Commission a detailed survey of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Savannah. It

became clear through the research phase that there is incomplete knowledge

across the ecosystem of the available resources and capabilities. The end result

should be similar to the website created in Charleston, SC, a similar size coastal

community located 110 miles to the north. The model website can be found at

http://www.charlestonee.com.

Create a detailed flowchart of the process to establish a new business in Savannah

to educate entrepreneurs and find areas for improvement.

Educational Programs

Develop or secure educational programs for local entrepreneurs. There are many

training opportunities available through ATDC at Georgia Tech, but most of these

courses take place in Atlanta. With better coordination and promotion, these

courses could also be held in Savannah.

Develop or secure educational programs for local investors. There are people in

Savannah that are interested in angel investing. However, these groups are not

educated on the process.

Develop or secure educational programs for local government. The local

government needs to better understand how technology companies are developed

and operate and the future of entrepreneurship. The city must look to the future

rather than the present or the past in order to develop programs to support the

ecosystem.



Public Relations

Promote the shared spaces such as The Creators Foundry and Guild Hall as

places for start-up entrepreneurs to congregate and network.

Celebrate entrepreneurial stories and successes in the local media, government

literature, speeches, and interviews. In absence of big success stories to inspire

the current generation of entrepreneurs, focus should be placed on celebrating

even the smallest of milestones. Success stories can have a stimulating effect on

the entrepreneurial ecosystem by inspiring imitators and the imagination of the

community.

Discussions

There were three themes that emerged during the research process.

1. The Creative Coast is seen by all stakeholders as the lead support group within the

entrepreneurial ecosystem; particularly for those entrepreneurs engaged in innovative or

technology businesses. The Chamber of Commerce was viewed as too oriented towards

travel and tourism related businesses. SEDA was viewed as being interested in bringing

big businesses to Savannah rather than nurturing Savannahs nascent businesses.

SCORE and the SBA have the image of servicing more traditional businesses. In

addition, there are very few instances of collaboration among these groups. If The

Creative Coast is the organization that Savannah looks to in order to grow its

entrepreneurial ecosystem, more resources will need to be added to support this effort.

A good would be the Community Catalyst position recommended in this paper.

2. The City of Savannah is viewed as neutral to negative in their support for the

entrepreneurial ecosystem. Most of the interviewees have low expectations from the

local government and only desire that it work to remove the regulatory roadblocks and

bureaucracy to starting a business. Several of the recommended interventions were

designed to begin to change this image.



3. More training is needed for all groups within the ecosystem. In the past, training

programs to support customer definition and other entrepreneurial business

requirements have been poorly attended. However, it is hoped that with the recent

addition of community spaces such as The Creators Foundry and The Guild Hall more

entrepreneurs will come together to take advantage of these offerings.

Limitations of this study

Due to time constraints, this study is limited to interviews from 16 different individuals.

In some stakeholder groups only one person was interviewed. In order to get a more thorough

view of Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem, many more interviews would need to occur. In

addition, the recommended interventions were neither created nor reviewed by a

multi-stakeholder forum and are largely the perspective of the author. This fact could limit both

the thoroughness and the adoptions of these recommendations.

Conclusions

As communities develop and become increasingly more complex, more advanced

models are necessary to deal with the intricate challenges they face. This paper sets out to

analyze Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem using an Integral Theory model, and from this

analysis recommend interventions to improve the ecosystem.

Integral Theory is important to understand the entire ecosystem from its different

perspectives and levels of development. In this integral era, individual elements of the

entrepreneurial ecosystem cannot be analyzed alone. In isolation, each stakeholder groups

actions can be conducive to entrepreneurship but insufficient to sustain it. Thats where many

efforts go wrongthey address only one or two elements of the ecosystem. Ignoring the

interconnected nature of the ecosystem elements can lead to unintended outcomes.

Encouraging a community to have entrepreneurial aspirations can boomerang and cause



frustration and brain drain if those desires are stymied by an unconducive environment

(Isenberg, 2010).

Whether or not the City of Savannah and the other stakeholder groups implements these

intervention options, they must take advantage of all available experiences and commit to

on-going experimentations. Interventions such as those suggested in this paper and many

others, must be effected and the results reviewed and refined on a regular basis. In keeping with

the dynamic nature of entrepreneurship, the ongoing review of the impact of these policies

remains critical to enabling the necessary support and service improvements. The alternative of

taking years to determine a plan and waiting for results is not acceptable.

It is the hope of the author that the structure described in this paper can provide a

mechanism through which the pulse of the entrepreneurial ecosystem can be efficiently and

effectively determined. Also, to create a common framework through which stakeholders can

engage in cohesive dialogue about the issues and barriers to growth. For it is only through this

integrated and unified stance that we can advance solutions to meet the challenges of Savannahs

entrepreneurial ecosystem.



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Appendix

Detailed Descriptions of each Stakeholder Group and Key Programs

Entrepreneurs

The five entrepreneurs interviewed for this study included a cross-section of first-time and serial

entrepreneurs as well as entrepreneurs at the start-up phase and those with established

businesses. All entrepreneurs were actively engaged in Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Investors

Each investor interviewed is an individual investor within the Savannah ecosystem. There are

currently no angel or venture funds focusing exclusively on the Savannah entrepreneurial

community.

Supporting Organizations

The supporting organizations identified as critical to the entrepreneurial ecosystem are The

Creative Coast, SCORE, SBA, SEDA, and the Chamber of Commerce. Two community spaces

were also identified. These were The Creators Foundry and Guild Hall.

The Creative Coast. The Creative Coast (http://www.thecreativecoast.org) nurtures

individuals in the community interested in starting a business by cultivating an environment in

which they can thrive. The Creative Coast sponsors a number of programs, including:

Geekend, FastPitch, StartupLounge, 1 Million Cups, and RailsBridge.

Geekend. Geekend is an opportunity to interact with people taking the tech and

creative industries by storm. The event brings together the brightest geeks, designers, coders,

innovators, artists, technology mavericks, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs. The event

includes cutting edge speakers, fun-filled after-parties, and networking opportunities.

FastPitch. FastPitch allows entrepreneurs to make a three-minute pitch of their

innovative venture and be assessed as to the viability of the ventures by local community

leaders, academics, and investors. Coaching and feedback is provided before, during, and after



to better prepare the presenter and how to pitch their idea. Entrepreneurs compete for cash

prizes in three categories, student, service-based and product-based.

StartupLounge. StartupLounge works to improve the capital environment for early

stage companies with high growth potential throughout the Southeast. In 2014, StartupLounge

Savannah included over 70 investors and entrepreneurs.

1 Million Cups. 1 Million Cups (http://www.1millioncups.com) is a free, weekly

national program designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Developed by the

Kauffman Foundation (www.kauffmann.org ), 1MC is based on the notion of entrepreneurs

discovering solutions and networking over a million cups of coffee. The culture surrounding 1

Million Cups is that of a supportive, neutral space welcoming entrepreneurs to be open and

honest about their businesses and the challenges they face.

RailsBridge. RailsBridge is a Ruby on Rails event focusing on developing functional

web apps and programming in Ruby. RailsBridge Savannah workshops are held quarterly at

The Creators Foundry.

SCORE. SCORE (https://www.score.org) is a nonprofit association dedicated to

helping small businesses form, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.

SCORE provides mentoring, workshops, business tools, templates and advice. Most of the 23

mentors in the Savannah SCORE office are retired leaders with deep business knowledge and

experience.

Small Business Adminstration (SBA). The SBA licenses two non-profit

businesses in Savannah. These are the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the

Small Business Assistance Corporation (SBAC).

SBDC. The Small Business Development Center (http://www.georgiasbdc.org)

provides low cost training and free consulting services including assistance with business plan

development, market analysis and marketing strategies, financial analysis, compliance and legal



issues, and preparation of loan submissions for individuals who want to start their own

businesses or expand an existing one

SBAC. The Small Business Assistance Corporation (http://www.sbacsav.com) provides

loans and technical assistance for new and existing small businesses.

Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA). SEDAs (www.seda.org)

mission is to create, grow and attract jobs and investment in the Savannah region. SEDA helps

business relocate to the Savannah region and supports existing businesses to grow and expand.

Program resources include workforce training programs, infrastructure, property searches,

incentives, tax abatements, utilities, and permitting.

Chamber of Commerce. Savannahs Chamber of Commerce

(http://www.savannahchamber.com) was organized in 1806 making it one of the oldest in the

country. It has a membership of approximately 2,200 businesses. The Chamber offers the

opportunity for networking, education, marketing and community involvement. The Chamber

acts as a business entity to impact public policy, advocacy and government, and works to

economically grow the region and create an environment conducive to job growth. The

LaunchSAVANNAH council seeks to foster an environment that attracts and retains young

talent in Savannah.

Community Spaces. Two community spaces were identified by the ecosystem

stakeholders as integral to the entrepreneurial community. These are The Creators Foundry

and Guild Hall.

The Creators Foundry. The Creators' Foundry

(http://www.thecreativecoast.org/creators-foundry) is an entrepreneurial community facility

utilized for office and meeting space. The space is designed for technologists, designers, artists,

cultural workers, entrepreneurs, and small-businesses to gather for events and use as office

space. The Creators' Foundry hosts BIZlab startups. BIZlab companies enroll in a 12-18



month mentoring, coaching, and intensive assistance program developed to nurture high

growth organizations.

Guild Hall. The Guild Hall (http://theguildhall.com) is a place where creative people

(coders, makers, designers, gamers, performers, and storytellers) gather to build community

and learn. Guild Hall markets its space as an entire creative campus for gamers, makers, and

designers. The Hall consists of several buildings, as well as outdoor spaces where members

and guests can congregate.

Universities

The universities identified as instrumental in Savannahs entrepreneurial ecosystem were

Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Armstrong Atlantic State, Savannah State, and the Savannah

College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Georgia Tech. The Enterprise Innovation Institute (http://innovate.gatech.edu) is

Georgia Techs business outreach organization and serves as the primary vehicle to achieve

Georgia Techs goal of expanded local, regional, and global outreach. EI2 helps enterprises

improve their competitiveness to significantly impact the economy. EI2 is the nations largest

and most comprehensive university-based program of business and industry assistance,

technology commercialization, and economic development.

There are four EI2 programs servicing the Savannah Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. These

include the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (www.GaMEP.org) , Advanced

Technology Development Center (www.ATDC.org), Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance

Center (www.GTPAC.org), and the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and

Computing (www.CEISMC.gatech.edu).

GaMEP. GaMEP is a program helping small and medium sized manufacturers to find

innovative solutions to reduce costs or increase revenue. GaMEP is a state and federally

funded organization making it a cost-effective solution.



ATDC. ATDC is a startup technology business incubator helping entrepreneurs launch

and build transformative technology companies. ATDC connects companies to the coaching,

capital, customers, and University resources & talent they need to thrive, thereby increasing the

likelihood of success. ATDC has one entrepreneur in residence in Savannah. Other ATDC

programs in Savannah are supported virtually through the Atlanta campus.

GTPAC. GTPAC provides education on navigatung the government procurement

process. Classes are held by The Contracting Education Academy of GTPAC and cover a wide

range of government contracting topics taught by experts who have many years of government

contracting experience. Classes provide comprehensive instruction on how to do business in the

government marketplace, the fundamentals to begin the process, and instruction on the

electronic tools to research and identify government contracting opportunities. GTPAC experts

provide teaching, mentoring and coaching. Their services are available at no cost to Georgia

businesses.

CEISMC. CEISMC (pronounced like "seismic") is a partnership uniting the Georgia

Institute of Technology with educational groups, schools, corporations, and opinion leaders

throughout the state of Georgia. CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S. (Programs for Enrichment and

Accelerated Knowledge in STEM) are hands-on, interactive learning experiences held in

elementary and middle schools in Savannah. Summer P.E.A.K.S. give participants the chance

to enhance learning during the summer in experiential activities . P.E.A.K.S. cover many

different Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) concepts.

Georgia Southern. Georgia Southerns Center for Entrepreneurial Learning and

Leadership (http://www.georgiasouthern.edu) is a center for entrepreneurship started at

Georgia Southern University in 2008. It seeks to contribute to the economic and social

well-being of Coastal Georgia through entrepreneurship education and venture creation. The

Center has a network of 12 Entrepreneurial Champions, Faculty and Staff based in departments

across the University promoting and developing entrepreneurship opportunities. In addition,



Georgia Southern recently opened City Campus, an incubator and fabrication laboratory (Fab

Lab) designed to create sustainable jobs, increase the number of local businesses, and improve

and diversify the economic drivers in coastal Georgia

Armstrong Atlantic State. Students in the Computer Science and Information

Technology Program (http://www.armstrong.edu/Science_and_Technology) at Armstrong

Atlantic State University provide a great talent pool for Savannahs businesses. The Computer

Science Programming Team is consistently ranked within the top 25% of students in the

Southeastern United States.

Savannah State. The Center for the Advancement of Creativity and

Entrepreneurship (the ACE Center) (http://savannahstate.edu/coba/ACECenter.shtml) is

dedicated to establishing entrepreneurial experiences for students by expanding linkages

between Savannah State University and the community of Savannah, Georgia and serving as a

resource for fostering their entrepreneurial ventures. The ACE Center is intended to be a center

of excellence and crucial driver of scholastic, educational and professional development

opportunities in the areas of creativity and entrepreneurship within Savannah State University.

The mission of the center is to advance the scholarship, teaching and practice of creativity and

entrepreneurship.

SCAD. SCAD (http://www.scad.edu ) offers more degree programs and specializations

than any other art and design university. SCAD is uniquely qualified to prepare talented

students for professional, creative careers. The SCAD students provide a unique talent pool to

the Savannah entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Local Government. Savannah's City government (http://www.savannahga.gov) adopted a

council / manager form of government in 1954. The current City Council, which consists of the

Mayor and eight Aldermen, levies taxes, enacts ordinances, adopts the annual budget, and

appoints the City Manager. The City Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies and

programs established by Council, recommending the annual budget and work programs,



appointing bureau and department heads, and exercising general supervision and control over

all employees of the City. One of the City Council's priority is to "provide citizens a City that

encourages and supports appropriate economic growth that creates jobs, expands City revenue

and improves neighborhoods and commercial corridors."

The department facilitating this edict is the Economic Development Department of the

City of Savannah. It is sanctioned to facilitate economic development activities fostering a

strong local economy and improving business and job growth. The Economic Development

Department's programs and activities are geared toward improving opportunities for

entrepreneurs and small businesses of Savannah and it has created the Savannah

Entrepreneurial Center (SEC). The SEC is tasked with increasing local business creation and

supporting economic empowerment of Savannah residents. They provide professional business

mentoring, one-on-one business technical assistance, classroom training, networking

opportunities, referrals, financial resources and incubator space.

Local Media. The Savannah Morning News (http://savannahnow.com) produces the only

daily newspaper in Savannah, Georgia. The business section of the paper, Business in Savannah

(BiS) is published biweekly. BiS is targeted at the greater Savannah business community and is

the established source for business news. Two business reporters provide a mix of cover stories,

executive and business profiles, columns by experts in a variety of fields and other business

content referencing bringing life to the economy of the region. In addition to physical content

delivery, The Savannah Morning News and BiS have an online presence

(http://businessinsavannah.com) and solicits for new content and content providers, inviting

members of the business community to join as featured bloggers. Weekly cover stories examine

key issues impacting the business community, including building permits, new business licenses,

real estate transactions, interest rates and other data.

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Documents

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