Entrepreneurship Funders Network (EFN)
Audience at an Entrepreneurship Funders Network (EFN) event. Photo: Naaman Brown Photography.
Innovation, economic growth, and healthy economies across the U.S. are fueled by the Entrepreneurship Funders Network (EFN), a collective of funders supporting and enhancing entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial mindsets by building equitable pathways to funding.
The network galvanizes philanthropic funders to support and catalyze change that fosters innovation skill-building and improves conditions for entrepreneurs through its annual convening, membership investment, network weaving, and knowledge sharing. Its three strategic priorities — connect, learn, and act — seek to advance co-creation and the collective impact of funders.
As Allie Ottoboni with the eBay Foundation shared, “If you’re funding entrepreneurship at any level, this is the room you need to be in. Members are open to learning together and from one another, honest conversations are the norm, and passion for the power of entrepreneurship comes through at every turn.”
EFN started with a desire to be a connected community that engaged in joint problem solving and championed entrepreneurship. Launched in 2017 with three founding member organizations — The Lemelson Foundation, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, and the Kauffman Foundation — EFN has grown to a membership of 26 funding organizations and continues to genuinely welcome more funders to the table.
With lack of funding being a common barrier for invention-based business, The Lemelson Foundation has partnered with EFN to maximize existing funding sources. Their mutual goal is to sustain innovation ecosystems over time and lessen obstacles for early-stage ventures in historically marginalized communities.
“The Lemelson Foundation’s commitment to sustaining vibrant innovation ecosystems over time drives our partnership with the Entrepreneurship Funders Network,” shares Kory Murphy, Program Officer at The Lemelson Foundation. “We recognize that true progress means not only supporting groundbreaking ideas but also dismantling the systemic barriers that disproportionately hinder early-stage ventures in historically marginalized communities. By connecting, learning, and acting collectively, we are building equitable pathways to capital, ensuring that diverse inventors and entrepreneurs have the resources they need to thrive and contribute to a more inclusive and innovative future.”
Learn more about the latest news and developments from EFN:
