Article originally published in the Philadelphia Business Journal on December 1, 2014
In their recent Philadelphia Inquirer article “Philadelphia, the Innovator,” Tom Ridge and Jay Williams wrote, “Hey Philadelphia, you are a national leader when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship … that will drive job creation in the region for the next 20 years and beyond.” This recognition of our city is well-deserved. The entrepreneurial mindset has not always been here. It is now.
A key segment of Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is its educational ecosystem consisting of Drexel University’s Close School of Entrepreneurship, the Pennovation Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute of Temple University. These universities provide places for students to develop their ideas as well as learn the leadership and other skills needed for success. The synergies between the Close School and other schools and colleges at Drexel provide an educational ecosystem within the University for students who want to learn entrepreneurial skills as well as develop their ideas and launch their businesses.
This educational ecosystem benefits not only students who go on to launch startups. All students benefit from developing an entrepreneurial spirt – a mindset which values persistence and self-reliance, risk taking, undertaking innovative initiatives and achieving results. This mindset helps all students manage their careers and differentiate themselves when they search for jobs, regardless of the careers they pursue, whether it be with an established company or a startup.
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