Fort Collins: Sustainability Nexus

If you don't live on the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies, in or around the cities of Denver, Golden, Boulder, and Fort Collins, you'll need a simple primer:  

• > Denver is the "big city." Much of the social enterprise work here is in the non-profit sector, addressing urban issues.  Some of the regionally large foundations are experimenting, and a network of incubators (Greater Good Academy) and lending institutions (Rocky Mountain Microfinance, Colorado Enterprise Fund) bridge gaps in knowledge, money and skills.  
• > Golden, home to National Renewable Energy Labratory (NREL), is something close to the center of Colorado's cleantech sector, as well as International Development Enterprises, a hugely impactful, 28-year-old global social enterprise. 
• > Boulder, well, the phase "twenty-seven square miles surrounded by reality," is pretty accurate.  As a global hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, it's also the home of the natural foods industry, many cleantech companies, the Unreasonable Institute, W1SDØM, three federal natural science labs, and much much more.
•  
• and then there's Fort Collins.....

Home of Colorado State University, one of the nation's top agriculture schools, Fort Collins is a mix of progressive and traditional, where ranchers and bike manufacturers co-exist with retired HP executives and the top veterinary program in the country.  

Fort Collins is also home to several under-appreciated sustainable business gems:

New Belgium Brewing company is a $100mm/yr producer of craft beer (including the ubiquitous Fat Tire), and a paragon of sustainable business practices.  The company has continues to push the boundaries of minimizing environmental impact, as well as treating employees as humans, peers and owners.  Read their sustainability report, and be amazed.

The Bohemian Foundation is, very quietly, one of the most impactful foundations in the state.  They cherish their low profile, and we'll respect that.

The Rocky Mountain Innosphere is an excellent regional business incubator, which has graduated many strong companies over its thirteen year history, with a strong clean tech emphasis.  

The Global Social and Sustainable Entrepreneur (GSSE) program at CSU's business school is maybe my favorite of all (and it's pretty hard to beat New Belgium).  Although I generally introduce is at "one of the top ten social entrepreneur business programs in the country," (and have raved about it on HuffPo), Beyond Grey Pinstripes (BGS) ranks it 27th, globally, and 9th among schools with enrollment under 100 students (GSSE has 25-person classes).  (Locals will think it's important to note that University of Colorado (CU) is ranked 21st overall, and University of Denver (DU) is ranked 15th globally and second among small schools.)

But the numbers don't tell the whole story. Most business programs create intellectually capable business managers, GSSE graduates entrepreneurs. One major part of the curriculum is that students connect early in the program, and form their own companies. Over the remaining time in the program, they get the companies up and running, while learning the book-related work in a much more relevant context.  

This video (10m), inspiring as any episode of Unreasonable TV, tells the story as well as any.

As the movie highlights, the other magic of GSSE is the heavy focus on international students.  Program Director Carl Hammerdorfer, a Peace Corps veteran, works hard along with a tireless staff and faculty, to find bright talents from around the globe.  Between their first and second year, students return home, and apply their newfound skills to improving life for their communities, via the companies and projects they have created.  

This week, GSSE hosted their semi-annual presentation of student projects, which is one of the reasons it out-performs the rankings of BGS.  New companies in their early stages presented amazing interventions, while previous graduates came back to talk about their success in business, and inspire everyone.  

In addition to Hammerdorfer, industry leaders including Paul Hudnut (GSSE instructor, Envirofit founder and New Belgium board member), Jed Emerson (legendary social impact pioneer), Bruce Campbell (sector-leading lawyer and blogger), Jenn Orgolini (New Belgium Sustainability Steward), Joseph Zimlich (Bohemian Companies CEO; CSU Board of Governors), Libby Cook (Chairman, Philanthropiece; co-founder Alfalfas and Sunflower Market), and others investors, philanthropists and advisors attended to hear about the latest companies coming out of GSSE.  

So, keep Fort Collins on your radar as an emerging model as a thriving medium-sized social impact ecosystem.  We know we will.