The Greater Sacramento Economic Council will work to support and expand the local startup ecosystem with an entrepreneurship initiative to coordinate and connect regional startup efforts.
Announced at the close of Global Entrepreneurship Week at the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Sacramento State, the initiative will bolster the work done by the Sacramento Entrepreneurial Growth Alliance.
“I firmly believe that supporting startup initiatives in the Sacramento region is not just about fostering innovation. It's about catalyzing job creation, driving economic growth and securing a brighter future for our community,” said Dale Carlsen, founding sponsor of the Carlsen Center, in a news release.
Carlsen in 1985 founded The Sleep Train Inc., a mattress retailer that grew to 300 stores by 2014, when was acquired by Mattress Firm. Carlsen is also on the board of directors of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.
The Sacramento Entrepreneurial Growth Alliance was launched in 2021 by the Carlsen Center, Rocklin-based Growth Factory and StartupSac, a nonprofit focused on supporting the local startup ecosystem.
The goal of the entrepreneurship initiative is to increase connectivity and collaboration among the region’s accelerators, investors, startup support groups and local colleges, said Michelle Willard, GSEC spokeswoman.
The initiative will work to increase access to funding for startups by highlighting investors during events and meetings, inviting Sacramento Entrepreneurial Growth Alliance members to participate in investor introduction calls and staging pitch opportunities for startups to reach investors.
The effort will help support the growth of innovation companies and entrepreneurship across all industries, said GSEC CEO Barry Broome, in a news release. “With SEGA powered by GSEC, the future is promising for startups in the region, and together, we are on a path to drive unprecedented growth and success. I’m looking forward to expanding our startup ecosystem throughout the region."
The expanded initiative with GSEC and SEGA will begin in the 2024 fiscal year, which starts in July.
The initiative will be co-chaired by Cameron Law, executive director of the Carlsen Center, and Rachel Zillner, CEO and co-founder of Clutch, a fast-growing business services consulting firm.
“The entrepreneurial spirit is alive, and this initiative shines a light on the work of startups and helping them find better access to venture capital funding,” Zillner said in a news release.
