Memphis Developing into Venture City

Posted by Shayna Pollock on August 03, 2011

In February, CEOs for Cities convened a group of urban leaders in Memphis for the Opportunity Challenge. There, Memphis leaders developed a vision for Memphis as a Venture City, a city where residents could put all of their talent to work. An article in the Commercial Appeal discusses the progress Memphis has already made towards becoming a city of entrepreneurs. In addition to support from local politicians, the Greater Memphis Chamber, and Memphis ED, Memphis is also developing space to further incubate entrepreneurship partnerships. Memphis' growing entrepreneurship momentum is well illustrated by Seed Hatchery, a mentorship-driven seed stage investment program. The program already launched six new Memphis ideas by providing basic funding and a venue for entrepreneurs to present their ideas to funders. Programs like Seed Hatchery, along with a favorable leadership environment, set the stage for Memphis to become a true Venture City.