This is a guest post by Patty Simonton, board member at the Maryland Business Innovation Association and founder of the Big Table Institute, for which Technical.ly is a media partner.

The impact economy needs more builders because a regenerative, equitable future won’t just build itself.

After all, some of the most persistent problems we face, including inequality, climate breakdown and extractive economic models, don’t persist by accident. They’re held in place by beliefs, incentives and power structures that make the status quo feel normal, even inevitable. What author Eric Ries calls “financial gravity” in his new book, “Incorruptible,” is an example of how hard it can be to pull away from these powerful forces.

At the Big Table Institute, we believe enterprises that are both financially viable and systemically transformative can and should be an important piece of building that better future.

That’s why our Impact Studio is this fall launching two virtual courses: Foundations of Impactful Entrepreneurship, beginning Oct. 28, and Systems Change & the Impact Economy, beginning Dec. 1. Each runs three weeks, with live sessions twice a week.

A “move fast and break things” approach can prioritize profit with little consideration for the impact on people or planet.

Businesses, whether we like it or not, hold an enormous amount of power in our society. The positive impact businesses could have on improving our collective well-being and capacity to flourish, should they choose to do so, would be transformative.

Yet efforts to fully educate founders on how their work can help with this effort remain an afterthought, despite work by organizations such as the Miller Center for Global Impact, Acumen, The New School, Transform Finance, the Next Economy MBA and community-focused impact entrepreneurship programs across the globe.

While some programs, especially those at universities that work closely with innovators and students, guide prospective founders on how to shape their entity before they’ve filed any paperwork, this is far from the norm. When incubators and accelerators accept only established entities, it can be harder for early-stage startups to learn about mission-protecting structures before they incorporate. A “move fast and break things” approach can also prioritize profit with little consideration for the impact of operations on people or the planet.

When it comes to working within the impact economy, there’s a lot to discover. A founder who is building for impact is learning what it means for a company to internalize costs, empower stakeholders to govern, seek mission-aligned funding and prioritize strategies to grow wealth within communities. These topics are not yet typically prioritized by traditional entrepreneurial support organizations, and founders can be caught unprepared when they realize the implications of the operational decisions they made when they were just getting started.

Foundations of Impactful Entrepreneurship, Oct. 28
Systems Change & the Impact Economy, Dec. 1

Protect the mission before the paperwork

The Big Table Institute is working to grow the pipeline of prospective impact entrepreneurs while also sharing strategies to help existing founders better align their operations, ownership structure and governance models with the principles of a regenerative economy.

BTI’s Impact Studio programs are designed to support founders before they qualify for traditional incubators and accelerators and before they make consequential decisions about their governance and operational models that can affect their mission long term. A key objective is to help founders think beyond the bottom line from the start. Strategies include:

  • Reaching prospective founders before they’ve settled on a business idea, with the goal of helping them explore ideas through a systems lens
  • Helping existing small business owners examine how their offerings, governance structure and ownership model align with the principles of an impact economy
  • Introducing alternatives to the dominant business model that prioritizes shareholder primacy
  • Teaching what it means for a company to internalize costs, empower stakeholders to govern and pursue mission-aligned funding
  • Sharing information about the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem so participants understand the landscape of available resources and support before they begin building
  • Emphasizing collaboration, based on the premise that a resilient, regenerative economy depends on founders working together rather than in isolation

From big-picture thinking to business decisions

Both courses feature live sessions with guest speakers and a custom online curriculum, with access to introductory videos, pre-reading and an online community to engage with fellow participants. Registration is open, and limited scholarships are available for both courses. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Foundations of Impactful Entrepreneurship

Begins Oct. 28, 2026 (Scholarship application deadline: Oct. 16)

This course is designed specifically for professionals transitioning careers who are trying to figure out their next steps and want to be part of building a better world, as well as small business owners or startup founders who want to better understand what it means to grow a regenerative enterprise.

Confirmed guest speakers include:

Systems Change & the Impact Economy

Begins Dec. 1, 2026 (Scholarship application deadline: Nov. 20)

This course is designed to help participants explore the fundamentals of entrepreneurship through a systems lens. It aims to give founders the tools and foundational knowledge to better understand what it means for a company to internalize costs, empower stakeholders to govern, seek mission-aligned funding and prioritize strategies to grow wealth within communities.

Confirmed guest speakers include:

We can’t wait to meet you!

Foundations of Impactful Entrepreneurship, Oct. 28
Systems Change & the Impact Economy, Dec. 1