E-Ship (Entrepreneurship)
Bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders, educators, nonprofits, and investors to strengthen Southwest Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem through partnerships, shared resources, and coordinated support.
Our Mission
To strengthen Southwest Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting the people, organizations, and resources that help businesses start, grow, and thrive.
Our Vision
A connected entrepreneurial ecosystem where every entrepreneur has access to the relationships, resources, and opportunities needed to build successful businesses that strengthen our community.
Why This Table Exists
Southwest Florida has many organizations that support entrepreneurs — but those efforts are often disconnected, making it hard for entrepreneurs to know where to find resources, build partnerships, and access opportunities.
Without stronger collaboration, organizations unintentionally duplicate efforts, partnerships get missed, and opportunities for economic growth, innovation, and job creation are limited. E-Ship works to reduce that fragmentation by improving communication, raising awareness of available resources, and connecting entrepreneurs with the right people.
Current Focus
- Map the region's entrepreneurial resources and community assets.
- Build relationships among the organizations that support entrepreneurs.
- Develop collaborative strategies that reduce duplication and close service gaps.
Our Values
Collaboration
Strengthening partnerships across the ecosystem.
Service
Keeping entrepreneurs at the center of the work.
Accountability
Delivering meaningful, measurable impact.
Innovation
Encouraging creative solutions.
Stewardship
Using community resources responsibly.
What We Do
Ecosystem mapping
Identifying community assets and mapping the entrepreneurial resources that already exist across the region.
Stakeholder relationships
Building relationships among the organizations, institutions, and leaders who support entrepreneurs.
Collaborative strategy
Developing shared strategies that strengthen support for entrepreneurs and reduce duplication of services.
Where We're Starting
At E-Ship's first gathering, organizations from across the entrepreneurial ecosystem came together around a shared recognition: greater collaboration is needed. Rather than working independently, participants committed to building stronger relationships, sharing resources, and creating a more connected support system for entrepreneurs throughout Southwest Florida — the beginning of a long-term effort to strengthen the region's ecosystem.
Our Journey
E-Ship was formed through the 21st Century Collaboration group and the Compassionate SWFL action-table process, bringing together organizations and leaders who support entrepreneurship. Early conversations centered on improving communication among organizations, reducing duplication of services, strengthening partnerships, and making entrepreneurial resources more visible and accessible throughout the region.
Our Accomplishments
- Convened the first E-Ship action table meeting in summer 2026, with a diverse group of community leaders, entrepreneurs, and business support organizations.
- Identified common challenges facing entrepreneurs and priority opportunities for future action.
- Began building the cross-sector relationships that will carry the work forward.
Where We’re Headed
- Create a comprehensive, publicly accessible directory of entrepreneurial resources serving Southwest Florida.
- Build a strong network of cross-sector partners committed to collaboration over duplication.
- Develop an ecosystem action plan with measurable priorities for improving access to entrepreneurial support.
Get Involved
Investing in E-Ship strengthens the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem: rather than funding isolated efforts, support here connects organizations, maximizes existing resources, and creates lasting economic opportunity. Partnerships with chambers of commerce, universities and colleges, SCORE, SBDC, economic development organizations, incubators, and local government all help expand the impact.
Help we’re looking for
- Entrepreneurs and small-business owners
- Business support organizations and educators
- Investors and economic development partners