Ideator: A Community Based Network
Eric Solie needed, “the type of advice you can’t find in books” as he was launching Attently. If only he’d had something like Alaska Startups Ideator! The good news is he’s now signed on into both the entrepreneur and mentor roles. Designed as a creative, safe space to incubate startups, Alaska Startups Ideator will be a managed entrepreneurial network where founders, like Eric, will be able to grow nascent business concepts, find team members, get advice, and possibly find funding.
Alaska Startups Ideator is designed to be a bridge to reach across geographic locations and community silos.There are islands of innovation and energy throughout Alaska’s entrepreneurial ecosystem but, often working in isolation, innovators don’t always get critical feedback or the help they need. ASI will be the place where founders, mentors, experts, creatives, innovators, and investors will have a community around the shared purpose of supporting Alaska’s great business ideas. On ASI, founders can create a business framework and have it reviewed and lifted off the ground where smart, energetic risk-takers are willing to help. Mentorship, support, and feedback will help round out ideas and mold them into robust shapes as to efficiently and effectively launch them.
Should people be cautious about sharing their business concepts? While this is a concern, and it can certainly be uncomfortable to put naked ideas into the world, brave users will reap the obvious benefits. Initial ideas on ASI have found that the more you share, the more interaction the community responds with. For those who prefer to keep more of their “clothing” on, each idea can have adjusted visibility: from fully public to fully private. As ideas progress, founders can reveal more of the information based on their comfort levels.
“The type of advice you can’t find in books” will be exactly what Alaska Startups Ideator will provide for Alaskan entrepreneurs. A collective community of people with resources and ideas who have been through, or are going through, whatever stage an entrepreneur may be in. With an online presence, it will provide resources and entrepreneurial energy to innovators from Utqiagvik to Metlakatla.