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Surely, Chicago is among the cities with such a vivid history in the development of alternative marketplaces and exchanges. Therefore it’s interesting that we’re seeing a real surge partner that are interested in developing more effective models for the future in the region. This is why we’ve been active in the city and we’re working with a variety of innovative partners in the region, that see the democratization of capital markets as an opportunity for larger impact in the early stages of the financing lifecycle.

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Many partners we work with in Chicago, as well as the midwest in a broader sense, see the JOBS Act and new funding models, crowdfunding among them, as a step in the direction of more participation and effective models in the funding landscape. The past years have surely posed a challenge for many regions, both urban and more rural, outside what many dub as hotspot cities. Chicago, being one of the largest cities in the US, still seems to present an interconnectedness in advocating for more connectivity and impact outside these hotspots, and outside the metropolitan area. We’ve had the privilege of working with a variety of partners, funds, exchanges, marketplaces etc, that have made it a mission of theirs to serve a wider community and establish a real impact with their actions.

It might be characteristic of the midwest, but the desire to build sustainable models that have a long term impact is admirable and quite frankly, very inspiring to see in action. Maybe it’s the fact that communities have learned to work together, as staying in ones own neighborhood hasn’t been an option. Either way, these grassroots ties are also modeled in our networks program and we’ve seen a variety of applications and models, that we’ve also wanted to model our tools after, to not only make operations more efficient, but also increase the reach of these ties that exist between local communities.

Democratizing investing and opening the doors for ‘normal people’ to participate in real opportunities, may be today’s chapter of the American Dream and seems to be apparent to those partners we are working with. The entrepreneurial way of life is important not only to those that create the Facebooks of tomorrow, but to all those that toil away on a daily basis creating value for their local communities. And of course, to all those that help in the process, such as the broader community of stakeholders. They, like all others, should have the possibility and framework to participate in their nephews startup, their neighbors company or the local bakery, when given the opportunity. Building a sustainable framework from the grassroots, for local communities to empower themselves, seems more important than ever for our economy.

We’re going to be in Chicago for several days from the 16th October onward. We invite all parties interested in new funding models and incorporating new elements to existing operations, to reach out to us, get in touch (e-mail at meet[AT]growvc.com) and we can schedule an in person meeting in Chicago.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 at 2:22 pm and is filed under Entrepreneur Inspiration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.