Do North is excited to be partnering with the Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) and See Change Sessions to host a gathering focused around building entrepreneurial communities.

See Change isn’t your typical conference. They’re turning Burlington’s South End into a dynamic hub of impact. In a small track cohort focused on rural startups, you’ll be guided by a facilitator and field-leading topic expert to dive deep, forge connections, and spark ideas. All while infused with art, music, great food, and joy throughout the experience.

Nurturing entrepreneurship requires strong communities, enthusiastic and diverse participation, and resources that connect innovators, investors, and community leaders. In partnership with Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA), we’ll explore strategies to reboot and reinvent startup culture and transform our legacy practices into thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems. We will work toward new solutions and revisit past assumptions to generate community-driven, self-sustaining, and collaborative economic activities that support all types of entrepreneurs and the communities in which they thrive.

Objectives:

• Explore and shape new narratives about rural opportunity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that contribute momentum and energy to our work
• Exchange actionable insights that define, build, and and sustain entrepreneurial ecosystems while crafting a collaborative framework to strengthen startup communities
• Create energy, spark new ideas, make meaningful connections, and identify practical strategies to turn entrepreneurial potential into a living and thriving reality

Lab Focus

Uncovering Aspiration & Crafting New Narratives

Nurturing startup communities is about nudging, nursing, coaxing and fomenting culture. It’s about finding unlike things that, when joined together, unlock new value and create exciting opportunities. In traditionally risk-averse spaces like rural or underserved areas where the cost of failure can come at great personal and family loss, mantras like “fail fast” and “break things” may feel abrasive and unnatural. How do we plant the seeds, bulbs, and roots of next generation companies in the rich soils of loyalty, grit, and ingenuity?

“Thick Networks” & Fostering Density to Create Culture

A thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem depends on the alignment of key players, including entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and community leaders. We’ll explore what makes these ecosystems work, how different stakeholders can contribute to their success, and how communities can identify and leverage their existing assets to foster sustainable growth. We’ll find ways to call-in more parts of the community including new residents, remote workers, part-time residents and second-home owners, and passionate and curious people in early career stages.

Unlocking Capital & Workforce Potential

Many areas, particularly in rural places, are changing in exciting ways, opening new opportunities for talent, capital, and business growth. In many cases these opportunities are poorly described and loosely organized; they are often technically and culturally mismatched to the orientations and aspirations of new entrepreneurs. How do we build startup communities from the ground up? How do we redesign startup culture in ways that respect the past while embracing the future? We’ll dive into innovative financing models, ways to connect investors with local opportunities, and the role of partnerships to create a capital stack, particularly in communities where the path toward funding is unclear.

Sustaining Growth & Building Resilient Entrepreneurial Communities

Entrepreneurial ecosystems require local ownership and ongoing stewardship. We’ll focus on the role of mentorship, peer networks, long-term collaboration, and loose-knit leadership structures in maintaining momentum, while uncovering strategies for preventing stagnation, measuring and celebrating success, and adapting to ever-changing economic landscapes. Participants will gain insights into how communities can continue to evolve, share knowledge, and foster long-term growth and economic resilience.

Who Participates

This track is designed for a diverse group of stakeholders who play key roles in fostering and celebrating entrepreneurship. Whether you’re building a business, investing in local ventures, shaping policy, or providing resources, these sessions will offer valuable insights and new relationships. We’ll create space for those who don’t regularly participate in the “typical” entrepreneurial gatherings, to highlight new voices and perspectives. We’ll also focus on remote workers, new residents, and emerging entrepreneurs to an area, and the support systems that can help connect outside perspectives to their new communities and vice versa.

• Entrepreneurs & Business Leaders — From big tech ventures to the small business owners on “Main Street,” particularly those with experience in facing the unique challenges of building businesses & business-focused communities in environments with obstacles related to limited infrastructure and resources.
• Investors & Financial Institutions – Individuals and organizations interested in discovering new and untraditional markets and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of funding businesses outside of urban centers.
• Economic Development Professionals & Policymakers – Those focused on creating and sustaining supportive environments for entrepreneurship to thrive through policy, infrastructure, and funding initiatives.
• Community Leaders & Ecosystem Builders – Place-based local leaders, educators, students, and organizations working to foster collaboration and long-term economic resilience in their communities.
• Emerging Entrepreneurs & Early Stage Supporters – The curious & the passionate. Those in the “becoming” stage of leadership, young people, and those in areas without deep support networks. New or temporary residents looking to get involved in a new community.
• Support Organizations & Resource Providers – Incubators, accelerators, universities, and nonprofit organizations that offer tools, education, and resources for entrepreneurs.

Built In Partnership With:

Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) & Do North Coworking bbring deep local expertise and a commitment to strengthening rural entrepreneurship. The collaboration between See Change, NVDA & Do North Coworking extends beyond the flagship event through ongoing content, workshops, and regional gatherings designed to share best practices and support ecosystem development. The Northeast Kingdom serves as a real-world case study, offering tangible lessons on overcoming challenges and driving sustainable economic growth.

Beginning in May Do North will host a series of pitch workshops we’re calling “Pitch Kitchen.” These will be opportunities for businesses looking to start or scale in the Kingdom to road test and improve a 6-minute pitch in a relaxed, social environment. With pizza. The first event will be at Do North on Thursday, May 22 from 5:30-7:30PM in the Treeline classroom. All are welcome but we do have capacity limits; please register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pitch-kitchen-tickets-1309000649179