Baltimore Development Corporation has selected HR&A Advisors to undertake the strategic planning process for the ETC, Baltimore City’s startup incubator and early-stage entrepreneurship community center. HR&A is an employee-owned, real estate and economic development consulting firm, which works with both public and private sectors to create more equitable, resilient, and dynamic communities through economic analysis, strategic guidance, and implementation planning.
“As the pandemic has changed the nature of the office, including co-working spaces, the time is right to plan for the future and ensure that the ETC is moving forward with the best business and service model,” said Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, which oversees the ETC. “HR&A’s experience in establishing financial and organizational feasibility combined with their expert strategic partners in stakeholder engagement with a DEI focus made them the right team for this initiative.”
HR&A’s strategic partners include Brick & Story, an urban consultancy practice focused on telling the stories of the built environment and the people who live, work, and play within its space, as well as Rodney Sampson, startup founder, co-founder of Atlanta’s Opportunity Hub, and General Partner of the 100 Black Angels & Allies Fund, and brings a wealth of experience in building diverse, equitable and inclusive technology, startup and venture ecosystems. The strategic planning process will include data collection, landscape analysis, inclusive community stakeholder engagement opportunities, scenario development, and the delivery of an implementation strategy.
“After 20 years, the ETC is just getting started — we’ve provided the fuel for numerous entrepreneurs, who started some of the city’s most exciting new companies, and planted the seed for innovation to drive the city’s economy toward the future in the process,” said Margaret Falzon president of ETC’s Board of Directors and chief operating officer of Squadra Ventures. “Now, just like our startups, we’re ready to do the necessary work to iterate and evolve. The board is excited to work with HR&A to find the right pivot and continue making Baltimore a model for urban tech economies around the world.”
The strategic planning process will address best practices the ETC needs to remain a highly effective asset to the Baltimore entrepreneurial ecosystem moving forward with an intentional focus on supporting BIPOC and women founders. It will also help BDC identify and define the type of leadership and staff the ETC will need in its next decade of growth. The search for a new executive director will begin in the summer of 2023.
Subscribe to the ETC’s newsletter to receive news and updates regarding the strategic planning process by visiting www.etcbaltimore.com.
Baltimore Development Corporation
The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) is the economic development entity for the City of
Baltimore. Our mission is to grow the city’s economy in an inclusive manner by retaining, expanding and attracting businesses and promoting investment, thereby increasing career opportunities for residents. In addition to the ETC, Baltimore Development Corporation runs several other initiatives to support entrepreneurs and small-businesses in Baltimore including Baltimore Together, Made in Baltimore, and the Baltimore BASE Network.
