City Council Futures
July 13, 2015
Innovation Ecosystem
How did we get here?
Historical Perspective:
Fort Collins today stands, with its
ideal climate, its substantial
business blocks, beautiful buildings,
its wide streets bordered with
shade trees, not only as one of the
most attractive - but because of its
unrivaled location, rapidly
developing industries, and
importance as a market center and
shipping point, as one of the most
important and prosperous cities of
the state. The metropolis of
Northern Colorado. - Fort Collins
Chamber of Commerce, 1907
2
Foundational Pillars
1935:
Municipal
Electrical
Utility,
wholly
owned
by
citizens,
created
by public
vote.
1870:
Colorado
Agricultural
College
founded
2007/ 2015:
1991:
Woodward
Governor
selects Fort
Collins for Int’l
HQ &
Manufacturing
facility
New Belgium
kicks off wave
of
microbrewery
development in
NoCo
1876:
1977:
1998:
‘Doctrine of
Prior
Appropriation’
created; origin
of Water Law
in the Western
U.S.
Hewlett
Packard
opens
facility on
Harmony
Road
Otterbox
founded
with a
focus on
mobile
devices,
tech, and
design
3
University Cities & Colorado State
If you want to
build a great
City, create a
“If you want to build a great City, create a great university, and
great
wait 200 years.”
university, and
wait 200 years.
– Senator
Daniel Patrick
Moynihan
4
Innovation: How do we know?
Education Attainment: Bachelors or Higher
Business Starts
Fort Collins
Per 100,000
%
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
USA
15 Largest
Cities
Cities
250k-1M
University
Cities
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
USA
Patents Issued in 2013
120
Fort Collins
Fort Collins
50
Per 100,000
80
60
40
20
0
15 Largest Cities 250k- University
Cities
1M
Cities
Arts & Entertainment Establishments
60
100
Per 100,000
Fort Collins
40
30
20
10
0
USA
15 Largest Cities 250k- University
Cities
1M
Cities
USA
15 Largest Cities 250k- University
Cities
1M
Cities
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Why here? Additional Accolades
#2 U.S. Metro Area for High
Tech Startup Density
#1 Best Place to Live
#4 Best Place for Business/Life
Fort Collins named
the City of the 2010s in
Smithsonian Exhibit on
Innovation & Invention
#1 Healthiest City
6
Fort Collins Innovation Ecosystem
What does it look like?
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Mapping Community Connections
8
The 3 C’s: City Involvement & Support
Convene
• 2004: Economic Vitality &
Sustainability Action Group
• 2007/2008: Formation of FortZED
• 2006-2015: Brought together industry
stakeholders; catalyzed Clusters
Catalyze
• 2006: City begins Industry Cluster $
support
• 2009: City builds RMI building
• 2015: City matches State funding for
CSU Ventures AI Grants
Collaborate
• 2012: City partners with CSU on
Powerhouse Engines Campus
• 2014: City supports first annual Fort
Collins Startup Week
• 2015: City contributes $ to SBDC
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Triple Helix & a Co-Creator Community
UNIVERSITY
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT
10
Ripple Effect
BIKES
BEERS
BANDS
11
Moving Forward
Innovation is messy and
complex, and fostering an
innovative environment is
never easy, but the need
for innovative solutions
has never been greater
because of the major
challenges we encounter
in our world today
- Lloyd Minor, Provost,
Johns Hopkins University
12
Key Questions
Key Visioning & Operational Questions
• How would Council like EHO to track innovation in our
community?
• How does Council want EHO to update/interface with them
on Innovation moving forward?
• Where in the ecosystem can we break down silos & create
efficiencies?
• How do we measure innovative spirit and collaboration?
• In 25/50 years, what will we wish we had
built/formed/catalyzed NOW?
• Can a community become a ‘supplier’ to major
manufacturing firms?
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Next Steps
Potential Next Steps & Future Initiatives
• Clarify & Understand:
• Conduct Innovation Asset Map: identify areas of strategic
investment, & explore opportunities to collaborate with
CSU/ encourage their leadership in this space.
• Discuss & Act:
• I2P Community Fabrication Facility; largest public
makerspace in the U.S.
• Carnegie Creative Center: ensure impactful programming.
• Southeast Community Center: identify ways for the facility
to enhance the Innovation Ecosystem.
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