How do we make our communities more resilient to extreme weather events?
How do we become smarter about using and recycling water, one of the most precious resources on our planet?
And how can we turn the textile industry into a more circular and sustainable economy that reduces waste and develops new fibers and materials?
Welcome to season seven of Ecosystems for Change, where I’ll be talking with the innovators and changemakers tackling these kinds of complex issues, not just within their own communities, but for the world at large.
Throughout this season, I’m going to introduce you to the Regional Innovation Engines Program, a program funded by the US National Science Foundation. In partnership with the Builder Platform I will highlight nine so-called Engines, and their place-based strategies to these wicked problems.
To start us off, I sat down with three key players in the implementation of this nationwide program: Ben Downing, Patricia Grospiron, and Emily Knight.
Ben Downing is Vice President of Public Affairs at The Engine. Before joining The Engine, Ben was Vice President for New Market Development at Nexamp, a veteran-founded, Boston-based clean energy company. Prior to this, Ben represented the state’s largest Senate district while serving as State Senator for 52 communities in Western Massachusetts.
Patricia Grospiron is the Executive Director of The Builder Platform, where she is responsible for leading the strategic direction to foster the development of the NSF Regional Innovation Engines. Patricia has several decades of experience in innovation ecosystem building thanks to her roles at Avery Dennison, JumpStart, Inc and Ohio Aerospace Institute.
Emily Knight is the President of The Engine, where she is responsible for shaping the organization’s strategic direction and building partnerships with industry leaders and educational institutions to foster an environment where Tough Tech teams can thrive and innovate.
Click here to listen to this episode on your favorite podcast player!
Listen to the full episode to hear:
- How the NSF funding is acting as a catalyst for innovative, place-based economic development while tackling some of our thorniest problems
- Why the program is committed to innovation that supports communities from within
- How The Builder Platform developed a human-centered approach to engaging with the NSF Engines and providing ongoing partnership and support
- How The Engine’s experience and history helps them collaborate with the regional Engines
- Why learning together, collaboration, and flexibility are key to developing in-place innovation