Mission
To make the journey of entrepreneurship easier to navigate and more straightforward.
A Greater Richmond where every entrepreneur and business owner can find the support they need to succeed — no matter who they are, where they live, or where they start.
Our vision
How We Work
The four pillars.
We operate at the intersection of community and economic development. We are not a direct service provider — we connect the ecosystem.
Resource Navigation
We create tools to organize and clarify the business support landscape. No buzzwords or gatekeeping, just real hospitality and clear roadmaps.
Convenings
We get everyone together regularly to keep information flowing, encourage collaboration, and foster a collective vision for the ecosystem.
Storytelling
We ensure that the voices of local entrepreneurs, businesses, and creatives stay at the heart of our region's ecosystem design.
Solutions Lab
We make the ecosystem work better by empowering entrepreneurs and support providers to identify challenges and co-create solutions.
Watch
The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.
A short film from the Community Foundation on the 1717 Collective — who we are, the founders we serve, and why this work matters for Greater Richmond.
Meet the Collective
The 1717 Collective.
The 1717 Collective is a group of Richmond-based nonprofits who support small businesses and founders. In October 2024, we launched a regional ecosystem initiative to make it easier for entrepreneurs to access resources, find their people, and build their network.
The commitment of Altria, Capital One, and the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond are making this collective impact work possible.
Serving Chesterfield · Hanover · Henrico · Richmond
Meet the partner organizations — what each one does, who they serve, and how to reach them — on our Collective member page.
Meet the 1717 Collective
Leadership
Heather Lyne
Director of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Connecting entrepreneurs and support providers across Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, and Richmond through regional knowledge, navigation resources, and meaningful relationships.