The Virginia Conference on Economic Gardening is being held at the Hotel Roanoke

on October 24-25, 2011. Entrepreneurs regularly report that they want to have
interaction with their peers. In other words, they are seeking strong local
entrepreneurial networks. In innovation hotspots, such as Hampton Roads, these
networks tend to develop spontaneously. But, if they are not already sprouting in your
region, what can you do to help jump-start them?

Since its beginnings in Littleton, Colorado in 1987,

Economic Gardening has gained momentum in
economic development circles. By the late 1990s, a
number of communities (including Lake Elsinore,
San Bernardino, Chico, and San Luis Obispo in
California; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania; Steamboat Springs, Colorado;
the state of Wyoming; and the North Down Borough
of Northern Ireland) experimented with economic
gardening. In 2009, the state of Florida allocated $10,000,000 to develop a statewide
Economic Gardening program. In 2011, the state of Michigan also chose to adopt a
statewide program. States like Kansas, Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina have
either formal entrepreneurial policies or pilot projects underway as a part of their
economic development efforts. Major states like California regularly include
“economic gardening” as an agenda subject in their state economic development
conferences.

Economic Gardening deals with growth-oriented companies and strategic issues such
as penetrating new markets, refining business models, developing teams and
embracing new leadership roles. The actual program, however, has much more depth
and complexity than many realize.

Conference topics include: Understanding Entrepreneurs & Second Stage Companies,

Public Policy & Entrepreneurship, Taste of Economic Gardening, How economic
gardening principals have been applied statewide – A Florida Case Study, Essence of
Economic Gardening, Importance of Entrepreneurial Networks & Competitive Market
Intelligence.

The Donna Noble Award Dinner will be held Monday, October 24, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
This year’s keynote speaker is Catesby Jones, Founder/President of Peace Frogs in
Gloucester, Virginia (Hampton Roads). Part of the Peace Frogs mindset is a
commitment to give back to the environment and to the community as a whole and
why a percentage of all sales are donated to help the environment and a number of
other great causes.