Setup
What if the next great idea for transforming the lives of homeless people, restoring neighborhood economies, or moving people into middle-wage jobs, could be prototyped, tested, deployed, and funded like a Silicon Valley start-up? Simply put, that is the promise of urban innovation in America. This promise is only partially realized, however, because urban innovators struggle to get early-stage investment capital. Many entrepreneurs of color cannot draw on networks of wealthy family members and friends to seed their enterprises. The raw fact of the racial wealth gap hobbles founders who might have the greatest insights into urban challenges and underserved markets. In fact, at just about every stage, people of color have higher obstacles to accessing venture capital. What does it take to create truly inclusive innovation? What do we gain if we succeed? And what brilliant ideas are unrealized because we’re failing right now?
Explore More
Economy

Politics are a frenzy right now, with bombshell headlines dropping so often that it’s hard to know what to focus on. Even when you can cut through the noise, what you hear is...





From the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion rights to public health's role in addressing gun violence to the devastating human toll of the war in Ukraine, this year's Aspen Id...






While the workforce is still adapting to the changing economic landscape, one thing is certain — the traditional blueprints for education and the workplace have been ripped up...



While the workforce is still adapting to the changing economic landscape, one thing is certain — the traditional blueprints for education and the workplace have been ripped up...
From blockchain to back to school and virus-hunting to bridging divides, speakers at the 2021 Aspen Ideas Festival addressed issues in a new kind of world—one touched, and cha...

The highest court often seems distanced from our day-to-day lives, but the rulings that come out of the Supreme Court are woven into the fabric of the nation. Though it aims t...

Gen-Z for Change's Aidan Kohn-Murphy on youth-led movements, his advice for young activists, and why it's impossible to lose hope.







After two devastating years fighting the pandemic, how do we rebuild and support stronger health care and public health workforces? Dave Chokshi, who helped lead New York Cit...






