Arch Reactor Data Inquiry

[Watkins, Karren]

Dear Arch Reactor, 

I am a researcher for Washington University and the Kauffman Foundation and am doing research on the entrepreneurial ecosystem in St. Louis. One of my current research projects is investigating the drivers, challenges, and opportunities of inclusion of different types of entrepreneurs in a community. As one of the key supports to this ecosystem, I am wondering if Arch Reactor would be willing to share any data (e.g.: numbers, percentages) about the types of entrepreneurs you have supported? Specifically, we are interested in data relating to gender and ethnicity. If you have additional data such as further demographic information, history of entrepreneurial experience, type of company, etc., this would also be useful. 

This information will be kept anonymous (i.e.: no startups will be named in the research and any reference to a particular support organization will be done with an alias, such as “Accelerator X” or “Incubator Y”). 

My main form of data collection for this project is qualitative, gathering the perspectives of entrepreneurs through interviews. Complimenting personal perspectives with quantitative information, however, will tell a much more complete story of what is going on in St. Louis. It will be incredibly beneficial to have an objective viewpoint. Please let me know if Arch Reactor can join the other support organizations of St. Louis in contributing data to this project.

Thank you and have a wonderful day!

All the best,
Karren Watkins

Research Associate
Washington University in St. Louis
Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
801.472.3483 

[John Senay]

Dear Karren,

We are all 100% Insane.

Thanks for asking

BR

John J. Senay

[Chris Weiss]

Hi Karen,

as a founder and someone who has held several board positions in the
past, I can say that we don't keep or track this kind of data in any
way, so there's not really any quantitative information we can provide
as an organization. I'm also only personally aware of one business
starting up out of the space.

We're primarily a community workshop, strong on social and education,
and not at all focused on helping businesses in any specific way.
Certainly business owners, both existing and prospective, are welcome
to attend our classes and become members and use the workshop, but
it's just not been our primary focus, and we haven't tracked it.

Maybe a short survey that members can fill out to tell stories they
know of would be effective?

[Watkins, Karren]

John, 

Thank you for your reply, and sense of humor! :)

Best,

Karren

[Brad Tissi]

I'm curious on this as well, but only in a Curious George sort of way.

Since Nebula and T-Rex aren't too far, I would imagine that unless our exposure is really lacking, there would be a decent overlap.

Karen, I could make up a Google Forms poll very quickly and share the results if you'd like to take on getting it out there.

Since we don't exactly have a newsletter (right?) or a mailing list outside of a couple forums, getting everyone's attention would be hit and miss.