Sometimes it can be hard to see through the haze of hype, to read between the lines and understand just what an organization does, and why that organization exists. We at UEI engage in a lot of entrepreneur-speak, economic-development-speak, urban-community-speak, and more, but we think it is helpful to lay out clearly and concisely just what we do, and why we do it. Plenty of details will follow in the coming weeks, months, and years, but here is the essense.
The Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative provides the inspiration, information, and connections that innovators, entrepreneurs, and supporters need to improve the quality of life in urban communities.
UEI has been around for more than ten years executing on the above mission, but we recently adopted a new approach and have taken on a broader scope of operations. We call our new approach the Urban Innovator Platform (UIP – pronounced “whip”), which is the main tool by which we will execute our mission moving forward. Our new scope is not just local, regional, or national. The UIP is a global community connected by online technology.
Key features of the UIP
The Urban Innovator Platform is a living organism that evolves and changes with the needs of the communities we serve, the circumstances of our members, and the rapidly evolving technology landscape. The tools we put in place work in both directions: UEI staff source information for our member community and the general public, and our members provide information that UEI staff moderate and source for the community.
Inspiration
Innovators and entrepreneurs draw from articles and events sourced by UEI and members to learn what’s happening in the world or urban entrepreneurship. They draw inspiration from seeing how others are changing the game in urban communities.
Information
Entrepreneurs need accurate, timely information to be successful. The UIP hosts documented and moderated content regarding urban community problem statements, business opportunity pitches, business profiles, support organizations, and more that entrepreneurs can use to shape their venture and avoid pitfalls.
Connections
UIP hosts a rich social network that allows members to make connections with each other to access professional information, work opportunities, or resources. Our network is open only to our members, and does not host anonymous, spam, or advertising content.
Status
We are working hard to add content to the UIP and to recruit members. Feel free to take a look around on the platform to get a sense of what we’re doing – you won’t break anything! If you are not yet a member, we invite you to join by clicking this link. We think you’ll find association with the UIP useful, enriching, and quite likely profitable.