Client Case: Innovation Frontera
El Paso/Las Cruces/Juarez

INNOVATION CULTURE PILOT REGION #2 - US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Participants from the innovation ecosystem in El Paso, TX, Las Cruces, NM, and Juarez, MX 


Participants from the innovation ecosystem in El Paso, TX, Las Cruces, NM, and Juarez, MX

 

Profile

  • Project conducted for T2 Institute (501c3) under a grant from the US Dept. of Commerce, EDA, in the El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM. The region, practically speaking, includes Juarez, Mexico. 
  • Match funds were provided by the City of El Paso, and contributions raised by The Hub of Human Innovation (El Paso) and Technology Hub (Juarez)

Purpose

  • Second test of the Rainforest Scorecard & Master Plan (RaMP) in a highly complex multi-national bi-lingual setting within an economically distressed region.
  • Refine the Rainforest Scorecard, Rainforest Immersion, and Masterplan methodology and deployment practice.

Outcomes            

  • Participating organizations created a branded collaboration and multiple websites that tie together incubators on both sides of the US/MX border. At least two new companies are already emerging from this pilot and are taking advantage of unprecedented inter-agency and community collaboration.
  • See www.facebook.com/321whatif and InnovationFrontera.com.

Participants & Process

  • Over 120 participants represented private commercial, government, university, and NGO organizations from 3 cities and 2 countries.
  • Truncated RaMP deployment included four phases, two events on-site, and multiple online events over a 4-month project plan.

2015 RaMP Pilot El Paso

Project Team:

Products

  • Rainforest Principles Immersion: educational programming in innovation culture and social contracting of increasing trust.
  • Rainforest Scorecard and Radar assessments of the region’s innovation culture; followed by analysis of strategic issues.
  • Innovation initiatives and action plans; communication plans; and tools/templates.

 

    What Next? 

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