Your Strategic Edge in Regional Innovation
We help innovation ecosystem leaders like you design clear strategies, foster collaboration, and grow systems that unlock lasting regional impact.
What We Do
We Help Regional Leaders Build Ecosystems That LastWe offer tailored strategy, advising, and implementation support across:✅ Strategic Planning & Program Design
✅ Cross-Sector Engagement & Facilitation
✅ Metrics, Reporting & Impact Narratives
✅ Grant Strategy & Proposal Development
✅ Communications & Thought LeadershipFlexible consulting packages start at $400/hour or $3,000/month.__________________________________
What We Bring to the Table
-Strategy that’s rooted in systems thinking and ready for action-A proven EDGE™ approach built by and for ecosystem builders-Deep understanding of what it takes to build tech ecosystems-A shared belief that ecosystem work deserves real investment
The Team
Experienced. Mission-Driven. Ecosystem-Literate.At Ecosystem Edge, we’re not just strategists, we're ecosystem builders who understand the complexity, nuance, and heart it takes to lead regional transformation.We’ve sat in your seat. We’ve built coalitions. We’ve chased grants and juggled partnerships with too few resources and our community at stake.Our team combines deep expertise in innovation strategy, entrepreneurship, research, and regional development with a shared commitment to clarity, impact and systems-level change that drives regional growth.
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Dawn Haynes, MBA
Co-Founder
✉️ [email protected]Dawn is a seasoned innovation executive with 30+ years of experience in entrepreneurship, economic development, and organizational leadership. As former CEO of StarterStudio and a leader at Disney, British Airways, and WW she brings a global lens to regional challenges. Dawn is known for her strategic clarity, ecosystem empathy, and deep belief in underestimated founders.
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Amy Beaird, PhD
Co-Founder
✉️ [email protected]Amy is a nationally recognized innovation strategist with over 18 years of experience spanning research, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem building. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering and a background supporting NSF Engines and regional tech clusters, she’s helped hundreds of organizations align vision with action. Amy brings a rare blend of analytical rigor, systems savvy, and facilitation magic to every engagement.She also serves as Treasurer for the ESHIP Alliance Core Team and as an Advisor to The Builder Platform, where she contributes to advancing national innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
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Our Extended Team
We collaborate with a growing network of designers, marketers, facilitators, and regional leaders to scale impact without losing what matters most: relationships, trust, and purpose. If we can’t serve you directly, we’ll connect you with someone who can.
Contact Us
Let’s Build Something Bold TogetherWhether you're exploring a pilot project, writing a big grant, or just trying to align a dozen partners on a shared vision, we’re here for it.At Ecosystem Edge™, we work with ecosystem builders, innovation leaders, and regional changemakers to turn complexity into clarity and momentum.Have a question? A bold idea? An impossible-to-map stakeholder network?
Let’s talk.🤝 Work With Us
Want to explore how we can support your strategy, programs, or systems-building work?➡️ Book a free 30-minute consult
Let’s explore what’s possible, what’s next, and how we can help.
[email protected]
Thank You
Your Scorecard Is In.
Your personalized ecosystem insights will arrive in 10 days.You just took an important step.
By color-coding your ecosystem (Reds, Ambers, and Greens), you surfaced where your system is strong, where it's stuck, and where you’re carrying more weight than the ecosystem should ask of you.Most people spend 20 months uncovering what you revealed in 20 minutes.What Happens NextBecause you submitted your Scorecard photo, we’re now analyzing the specific patterns in your ecosystem. No generic advice. No templates. Just a tailored read of your system’s structure, signals, and emerging opportunities.Ecosystem building is often invisible, but the impact is not.
Thank you for engaging deeply and helping move your region forward.Your personalized insights are on the way.— Amy & Dawn
Amy Beaird & Dawn Haynes
Co-Founders, Ecosystem Edge
[email protected]
2 Hours to Align Your Regional Ecosystem Leaders
Stop guessing. Stop misalignment. See your ecosystem clearly, together.Bring your regional ecosystem leaders — funders, local government, universities, entrepreneur support organizations, startups — into one 2-hour session and walk away with:
✅ Visual Clarity: Your scorecards in one place, easy to understand✅ Aligned Priorities: Everyone sees strengths, gaps, and critical moves✅ Focused Action: Identify the 2–3 opportunities that will move the needle✅ Shared Roadmap: Clear next steps the whole team agrees on
Half-Day Workshop • $5,000 for up to 10 participants • Includes follow-up debrief20% off for SCN/INBIA attendees