ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT HUB
A new resource built by and for the entrepreneurial support ecosystem to transform ideas into impact ➡️ eshub.org
written by: Caroline Lutkewitte
How It Started
This project began, like so many others in our sector, with a group of peers trying to make sense of the daily work.
We were catching up across organizations—Camelback Ventures, 4.0 Schools, NewSchools Venture Fund, Moonshot EdVentures, and Echoing Green—and found ourselves trading notes on logistics behind the scenes. We were facing similar pressures: too many promising applicants for too few spots, tools that didn’t quite match our workflows, concerns about bias in selection, and a shared frustration that entrepreneurs didn’t always have the guidance they needed to navigate our programs—or the field more broadly.
The more we talked, the more obvious it became: we weren’t just experiencing the same challenges. We were trying to solve them separately, in parallel. So we asked, what would happen if we stopped doing that?
That conversation sparked a multi-year collaboration across five entrepreneurial support organizations. Together, we imagined something we all wished had existed long ago: a shared resource to make the ecosystem more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of early-stage social entrepreneurs.
The result is the Entrepreneurial Support Hub.
The Problem is Structural—So the Solution Had to Be, Too
It’s not that underinvested founders and founders not connected to traditional startup ecosystems don’t lack drive or clarity; they face barriers built into the architecture of the system:
- Unclear eligibility language and jargon
- Evaluation practices that reward polish over potential
- A reliance on insider referrals and warm introductions
- Limited feedback, especially after rejection
- A lack of coordinated support across funding stages
These are not isolated flaws. They are symptoms of an ecosystem that hasn’t been designed with equity in mind.
The Hub was our response. It’s not another intake form. It’s infrastructure—something that makes the system itself easier to understand, access, and navigate. It’s a shared investment in transparency and alignment, so that more founders can not only find their fit, but chart a path forward.
Co-Designing with, not for: Human-Centered Design in Action
We didn’t design this tool for early-stage entrepreneurs. We designed it with them.
From the start, we brought in co-creators who reflected the lived experience we wanted to center: entrepreneurs without traditional networks, elite credentials, and “proof points” funders often expect.
In interviews and workshops, they told us what wasn’t working:
- “I can’t tell what I’m eligible for.”
- “I don’t know where to start.”
- “You ask for my story, but I don’t know what happens to it.”
- “Even if I get funding, I don’t always know what to do next.”
Those insights didn’t sit on sticky notes—they shaped the core of the Hub:
- A searchable opportunity finder with intuitive filters
- A Social Entrepreneurship 101 page that breaks down confusing terms
- A resource library built to demystify the journey
- Thoughtful content tone and structure that invites, not excludes
We hope to create a tool that reflects the reality—and the humanity—of early-stage entrepreneurship.
🤝 Collaboration Over Competition
Our organizations are all entrepreneurial support providers. We’ve funded the same founders. We’ve read overlapping applications. We’ve faced the same tension between wanting to grow access and managing limited resources.
But instead of retreating into competition, we chose to collaborate.
That collaboration was made possible by our anchor funder, who supported the vision from the beginning, and the Margulf Foundation, whose investment allowed us to build something that stretched beyond the scope of any single organization.
Together, we pooled insights, aligned on values, and created something designed to strengthen the entire pipeline and not just our own segment of it.
Building with an Entrepreneurial Mindset
We approached this like entrepreneurs would: by falling in love with the problem, not the first idea for a solution.
We listened carefully and often. We learned from applicants who had been declined, from grantees navigating growth, and from founders trying to understand how this ecosystem even works.
Themes emerged:
- Network access is still the biggest unlock
- The best founders aren’t always the best storytellers
- People want clarity, not just capital
- Identity is often extracted but not supported
- Guidance is just as critical as funding
These insights directly shaped the design. Alongside building the Hub, we integrated new features into our application practices—like post-decision feedback options, scheduling tools, a glossary of terms, and plainspoken copy—are all rooted in what we heard.
As one design participant put it:
“I wish I had this when I applied. It makes me hopeful that others will have a better shot.”
That’s why we built this.
Explore, Share, Contribute
Visit eshub.org. Share it with an entrepreneur who’s just starting out—or someone figuring out what’s next. Send it to a colleague who wants to rethink how their organization supports founders.
This is for:
- The founder looking for their first opportunity
- The program manager tired of saying “not this time” without a place to send people
- The funder who knows access and equity require more than a mission statement
This is a shared resource, built by people who believe in what’s possible when we work together. We hope it helps you find your way—or help someone else find theirs.
Want to learn more about the Entrepreneurial Support Hub and how organizations are finding bold, innovative ways to collaborate in support of entrepreneurs? Join us at Guardian Summit 2025.
Guardian Summit is Camelback Ventures’ annual gathering of visionary leaders and founders working at the intersection of equity, innovation, and impact. It’s a space for fresh ideas, deep connection, and real collaboration—where we come together to reimagine how we support entrepreneurs and build a more just future.
