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  • The Tri-County Council for Western Maryland is committed to making Mountain Maryland the best place to start and grow a business. Your feedback directly informs the development of our Western Maryland Entrepreneurship Ecosystem strategy and helps us streamline and allocate resources appropriately across the region’s three counties.

    This survey is being conducted by an independent, nonprofit organization, Bridging Innovation Institute, to ensure an objective and impartial assessment of the current entrepreneurial landscape.

    The data collected will be analyzed and provided to the TCCWMD exclusively as aggregate, non-identified data. This means your individual responses will remain confidential and will not be linked to you or your organization. These collective insights will serve as a critical foundation for a broader strategy aimed at promoting the sharing of accurate information and strengthening community-wide communication.

    The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

    We appreciate your time and participation!

  • Please select your role within the ecosystem:*

  • Business Identify & Profile

    This section helps us understand who is building in Western Maryland.
  • Current Business Stage*
  • Primary Industry Category*
  • Business Location:*
  • Annual Gross Revenue (Last Fiscal Year)*
  • Which of the following best describes your history with Western Maryland?*
  • Are you a graduate of a Western Maryland Higher Education Institution?*
  • Which institution(s)?

  • Business Navigation and Culture

    This section helps us understand how business owners navigate starting and operating a business and the culture of the community related to business ownership. We want to understand how “navigable” the Western Maryland Entrepreneurship Ecosystem feels to you - from your awareness of available resources to the level of support you feel from your local community. Your honest assessment helps us identify where communication is breaking down and where we need to build stronger bridges between founders and resources.
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  • Ecosystem Resources

    This section asks your perspective on seven essential “building blocks” of a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem. By assessing these core areas, we can pinpoint exactly where West Virginia is excelling and where we need to strengthen our foundation. Your feedback provides the ground-level data necessary to prioritize local investments in workforce, infrastructure, and capital.
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  • Identifying Barriers & Friction Points

    Every business faces obstacles, but some are systemic to the environment while others are industry-specific. This section helps us identify the “friction points” that slow business growth. We want to know your struggles and what specific “red tape” is preventing you from the next level.
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  • Would you be willing to participate in a 15-minute interview about your experience as a Western Maryland entrepreneur?

  • Contact Information

    We are looking to dive deeper into the insights shared in this survey. Thank you for your willingness to participate in an interview! Please provide your contact information below. Your contact details will be used solely for the purpose of scheduling an interview and will be kept separate from your anonymous survey responses to maintain your privacy.

  • Organization Overview

    This section helps us understand who is providing support to entrepreneurs and business owners in Western Maryland.
  • Primary County/Counties Served: Select all that apply.*

  • Trust and Ecosystem Connectivity

    How integrated and collaborative do you feel our region truly is?
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  • How often do you engage in formal or informal “syncs” with other ecosystem partners?*

  • Service Offerings and Specialization

    Identify exactly what you provide to support Western Maryland entrepreneurs.
  • Stage Supported: Select all that apply.*
  • Specific Services Provided: Select all that apply.*
  • Do you specialize in a specific sector?*

  • Capacity and Resource Strength

    Help us understand the bandwidth of our support system.
  • How “at risk” is your funding for entrepreneurial support programs for the next 24 months?*
  • How are your entrepreneurial support programs currently funded? Select all that apply.

  • Metrics and Tracking

    How are we defining success in Western Maryland?
  • Which of the following do you track? Select all that apply.*
  • How do you currently manage your client data and track their progress?*
  • How often do you "check in" with clients to update their metrics (jobs, revenue, etc.)? Select all that apply.*
  • Do you track client success after they have completed your program or reached a milestone?*

  • Your Voice Matters: Share Your Insights

    In this section, we invite you to share your detailed perspectives in your own words. While the previous questions provide us with helpful data points, these open-ended responses allow us to capture the nuances, specific challenges, and unique ideas that only you can provide.
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