Abstract

Chapter 11 chronicles the transformation of Syracuse, New York's downtown area by unleashing the local entrepreneurial potential and innovative talent with the help of an incubation strategy. The creation of Tech Garden (an incubator) served as a rallying point for public-private collaborations. A youthful and vibrant college educated entrepreneurial community steadily emerged, and the collective impact was increased by the return of locally rooted firm founders to co-locate their national & global businesses within the now gentrified city center. The authors trace the history of the ecosystem building process; filling the need of high growth models, mentors, and risk capital in the local area; and the success achieved by tapping into overlapping networks of local business leaders, college alumni and expatriate entrepreneurs.