Hope Ross Gibaldi is a force to be reckoned with in the Western Massachusetts entrepreneurial ecosystem. As Executive Director of Valley Venture Mentors (VVM), she is responsible for steering organizational direction and making sure it supports the region, with a particular focus on Springfield and historically marginalized groups. As an Executive Committee Member of the Springfield Creative City Collective (SCCC), she works to create a stronger creative economy in the region. She is also the founder of Entrepreneurial Spirit, a one-on-one business coaching and mentorship business.

But what drives Hope's passion for entrepreneurship and building out the Western Mass entrepreneurial ecosystem? It all started with her own experience as a business owner. She took her business, LEARN IN MOTION, a movement and play-based enrichment program operating out of Holyoke Public Schools, through the Holyoke-based Spark Accelerator (now EntrepreneurshipforAll) program and saw first-hand how impactful it was for her business to have access to resources. Going through the ecosystem herself also allowed her to see very clearly the gaps in services that were offered to budding businesses.

“Entrepreneurship is a great way to find meaning in life,” Hope explains. “Most entrepreneurs don’t take advantage of the resources available to them, not by any fault of their own, they just don’t realize that there are so many resources available to them. It’s why I enjoy what I do at VVM, the one-on-one business coaching, and why I am so passionate about entrepreneurial ecosystem building.”

Hope's dedication to entrepreneurship and the Western Mass entrepreneurial ecosystem has led her to spearhead several impactful programs, including the Anchor Ready Accelerator program through VVM in conjunction with the Western Mass Economic Development Council. The program aims to bridge the gap between the procurement policies of anchor institutions in Western Mass (companies like Big Y, Baystate Health, City of Springfield, University of Massachusetts), while supporting minority-owned small businesses to engage in those institutions. Hope is on the design team and is currently working on securing funding to release the first pilot this fall. The goal is to not only diversify the supply chains of these institutions, but also to help local businesses become ready to engage with these institutions in a bottom-up approach.

Hope is also involved in Made with Reevx, a retail pop-up program in partnership with Berkshire Bank for minority and LGBT-owned businesses, and is currently working with SCCC to create an ecosystem map to make all resources more accessible to businesses looking for help in specific areas, with the aim of reducing silos.

“My goal is to make sure that every entrepreneur knows about all of these amazing resources that exist. And to make sure that those resources are working in alignment with one another for the best possible outcomes. That’s true entrepreneurship-led economic development at its finest," Hope says.

Hope's personal experience as an entrepreneur and her drive to help other business owners has made her an invaluable asset to the Western Massachusetts entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through her work at VVM, SCCC, and Entrepreneurial Spirit, she is helping to create a more supportive and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem that benefits everyone in the region.