Prosperity Led by Local Entrepreneurs
Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network (RAIN) Catalysts
Experts at building entrepreneurial infrastructure through an inclusive lens
RAIN (Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network) Catalysts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is run by experienced entrepreneurs and local entrepreneurial ecosystem-builders. RAIN exists to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation for underrepresented populations and communities.
Since 2014, RAIN Catalysts has been invited to serve 52 communities in Oregon and Washington to help them build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation economies. RAIN’s community-informed approach is investigative, not prescriptive – which means we join-in to existing community activities/conversations, engage local stakeholders, listen, map ecosystem assets, identify and leverage strengths, identify gaps, and spin-up programming that meets the needs of that community’s entrepreneurs.
RAIN’s Mission is to partner with communities to catalyze inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems, connect entrepreneurs to resources—including overlooked entrepreneurs—and contribute to the creation of prosperous economies.
RAIN’s Vision is that communities everywhere support, value, and celebrate all entrepreneurs; regional leaders recognize entrepreneurs are a primary creator of net new jobs; communities of any size have thriving economies, and a culture of possibilities is embraced.
A Community-Centric Approach That Has Impact
We only join communities where we are invited, and listen first so we can be reactive instead of prescriptive
Our approach follows the successful “Boulder Thesis” model for building entrepreneurial ecosystems:
RAIN Catalysts embraces the “shut-up and listen” philosophy expressed by Ernesto Sirolli in this TED talk:
We Activate and Monitor the 10 Components of A Thriving Entrepreneurial Ecosystem & Innovation Economy
Entrepreneurial ecosystems are defined as a set of interdependent actors and factors coordinated in such a way that they enable productive entrepreneurship within a particular territory.
