The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I) at Grove City College is the driving force behind Redemptive Pittsburgh, a new regional initiative that aims to develop a venture-building ecosystem dedicated to the idea of redemptive entrepreneurship.
Their work began in earnest last year with the introduction of Redemptive Imagination Tables in the region. These gatherings at homes or in restaurants are built around an intimate, guided conversation based on how participants can advance the practice in the Pittsburgh startup ecosystem. Tables are intended for founders, funders, builders, mentors, and innovators, and no previous experience with redemptive entrepreneurship is required to participate. Three such events have already occurred, including one larger event on the Grove City College campus.
The work of Redemptive Pittsburgh deepened last month with the introduction of the first Pittsburgh Redemptive Business Lab. The two-day event brought together like-minded early-stage entrepreneurs and accomplished professional mentors to explore what it looks like to build businesses and organizations that serve others – and a greater purpose.
"The lab helps entrepreneurs become deeply formed as leaders who guide their ventures to become more effective and more redemptive in their impact as they seek to address the major issues of our time,” E+I Executive Director Yvonne English ’97 said.
The kickoff event brought together the inaugural group of founders for a dinner and lodge night at the historic Boggs Mansion in Pittsburgh thanks to the generous sponsorship of The Gather Company, founded by Evan Addams ’10 and Dan Croce ’08. The first evening of the program was designed to encourage fellowship and build connections between founders like Grove City College alumnus Luke Gilligan ’24, who began his business Resense as a student.
The following day, the founders headed to the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township and were joined by a group of curated mentors from across the spectrum, including alumnus Dan Croce ’08 of Birgo Capital, E+I Assistant Director Robb Myer, English, and Dan Reed, a core team member of Praxis, the organization that designed the Redemptive Labs template being followed by Redemptive Pittsburgh and other similar labs throughout the world. The second day’s programming was designed for the founders’ specific needs and provided opportunities to generate experience-based insights and discussions about how to apply the redemptive frame to their ventures through a deep dive into the Redemptive Frame led by English, group discussions, founder pitches, and one-on-one sessions with the mentors. Founders left with fresh ideas, practical tools, new relationships, and critical feedback from peers and mentors.
Redemptive Pittsburgh is a movement of volunteers with the shared goal of advancing redemptive entrepreneurship by supporting founders, funders, and innovators motivated by their faith to address the major issues of our time. Future plans include additional Imagination Table events, additional Redemptive Business Lab cohorts, and other potential programming as needs are identified and developed throughout the region.
Redemptive entrepreneurship, according to Praxis, is “love in organizational action: following the pattern of creative restoration through sacrifice, integrated across leadership, strategy, and operations in venture creation, innovation, and funding.” The concept has been embraced by the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation, which encourages and empowers Grove City College students of all majors to stretch their entrepreneurial muscles outside of the classroom.
Redemptive Pittsburgh is funded by the Redemptive Pittsburgh Ecosystem Fund, which is led by the Redemptive Pittsburgh Catalyst Partners, a group that includes E+I and the Waynesburg University eHive.
For more about Redemptive Pittsburgh, visit redemptivepittsburgh.com.