Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Because this is my fourth book, I theoretically knew what I was getting into when I started writing it. However, as with each of my other books, there came a time during the process when I was overwhelmed by the amount of work I had in front of me. Each time, my amazing wife, Amy Batchelor, has been there to help out, keep me company, whisper sweet nothings in my ear, and be a calming and supporting influence.

Many people have helped me develop the Boulder Thesis, both through action and long discussions about what is needed and what is going on in Boulder. My partners at Foundry Group, Jason Mendelson, Ryan McIntyre, and Seth Levine top the list, along with David Cohen, the co-founder and CEO of TechStars. I’ve learned an amazing amount from working alongside you guys.

As I started working on this book, I got early and regular feedback from Jason Mendelson, Amy Batchelor, David Cohen, Brad Bernthal, Phil Weiser, Paul Kedrosky, and Yoav Lurie. You will see your fingerprints throughout the book.

A special note of thanks goes to Brad Bernthal. When I was first sketching out the idea for the book, we had a long conversation about what turned into the Boulder Thesis. I asked him to write a foreword for the book well before I had written much. As I got deep into writing, I realized that his foreword was an excellent draft for Chapter 3: Principles of a Vibrant Startup Community. Brad graciously permitted me to repurpose his foreword for this chapter.

There are a number ...