What does it take to create a thriving venture capital ecosystem—where under-resourced founders can reliably access funding and scale high-growth companies?  

This workshop shares new findings from the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s 2025 Venture Equity Project, highlighting top-performing MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) where smart infrastructure, capital access, founder support systems, education, and policy are converging to drive measurable results for under-resourced, venture-aspiring entrepreneurs.  

The session will focus on cities beyond the traditional VC hubs, examining how place-based variables, such as venture activity per capita, local procurement strategies, talent density, and founder-facing policies, are expanding opportunities for those historically excluded from venture funding. Through interactive, small-group exercises, participants will apply a research-backed framework to their own communities, identifying underleveraged assets, refining local strategies, and building stronger pathways for fundraising, investment, and long-term growth.  

Key Takeaways:  

• A research-based framework to assess and strengthen local venture ecosystems  
• Clear insights into where and why disinvested founders are gaining traction across the nation 
• Local strategies to improve capital access, strengthen talent pipelines, and align supportive policies  
• Real-world examples from top-performing MSAs overcoming traditional barriers to capital  
• Actionable tools and peer-driven ideas to support storytelling, make the case for investment, and advance economic development efforts