Written by SCN Board Chair Mark Lawrence
There's something profound that happens when you gather ecosystem builders in a place like Augusta—a city that embodies both paradox and possibility, where the legacy of James Brown's soul music pulses through streets that have known both struggle and triumph. As I write this, still processing the incredible energy of our recent SCN Augusta Summit, I'm overwhelmed by gratitude for the 100+ practitioners who gathered in Augusta, Georgia. What I witnessed wasn't just another SCN Summit; it was a homecoming. Within hours of arriving, I could feel Augusta's complexity—the way the Augusta National's manicured perfection sits alongside neighborhoods hungry for reinvestment, how federal dollars and grassroots dreams intermingle in ways that challenge our assumptions about economic development. But more than that, I felt the unmistakable warmth of a community ready to show us what "Open Invitations" really means. The conversations at Champions Retreat Golf Club, the boat ride, the downtown walking tours, the typical late-night SCN member “strategy” sessions—all of it reminded me why we do this work and why places like Augusta matter so deeply to our movement.
This Summit reinforced everything SCN stands for: that ecosystem building isn't just a profession, it's a calling that demands both expertise and deep humanity. What Grace Belangia, Eric Parker, and the entire Make Startups team showed us is what happens when you approach this work with genuine care for the people behind the startups, the organizations behind the programs, and the communities behind the metrics.
It's easy to get caught up in the theater of entrepreneurship—the pitch competitions, the ribbon cuttings, the flashy announcements. But real ecosystem building is about the patient work of weaving connections, building trust across sectors, and creating conditions where people can take the risks that matter. SCN exists because this work can be isolating, and because the practitioners who choose to center collaboration over competition deserve a professional home where they can be honest about the challenges, celebrate the wins, and learn from peers who truly understand the complexities of systems change. We're not just a network; we're a guild of people committed to ensuring that thriving, inclusive entrepreneurial opportunities exist in all communities, especially those too often overlooked by mainstream capital and attention.
I can't help but think about my own journey into this work, and how it connects to what I experienced in Augusta. When Julie Lenzer first invited me to the inaugural Kauffman ESHIP Summit years ago, I had no idea I was about to find my people. I walked into that gathering as what I called a "solo ecosystem builder," trying to prove there was a scalable business model for supporting underserved communities through entrepreneurship. What I found instead was a room full of practitioners who spoke my language and some who would eventually become my SCN family, focused on preserving the culture around this work.
That first ESHIP Summit taught me that the power of this work isn't just in the strategies we deploy or the capital we mobilize; it's in the culture we create and the relationships we build. Fast forward to Augusta, and I saw that same magic happening again. Watching our members wrestle with the complexities of inclusive economic development reminded me why SCN evolved from those early Startup America gatherings into something bigger. We're not just sharing best practices; we're nurturing a profession that puts community and equity at its center.
The future of ecosystem building belongs to people who understand that this work is both deeply local and inherently connected. If Augusta taught us anything, it's that every community has its own rhythm, its own challenges, and its own untapped potential. But none of us has to figure it out alone. Whether you're just discovering that ecosystem building might be your calling or you're a seasoned practitioner looking for peers who understand the weight and joy of this work, SCN is here.
We're the community that celebrates the culture and the people behind the work, takes seriously the professional development of ecosystem builders, and believes thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems should exist everywhere—not just in traditional startup hubs. The connections forged in Augusta, the insights shared over coffee and late-night conversations, the partnerships sparked between practitioners from different regions—this is how movements grow and how communities transform. I invite you to learn more about our network, consider joining our guild, and help us continue building a future where entrepreneurship is truly accessible to everyone, everywhere. Because as Augusta reminded us so beautifully, when we show up for each other and for our communities with genuine heart, there's no limit to what's possible.