Partners for Exponential
Economic Growth
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MEM
MEMX is an economic development cooperative strategically aligning partners within the Memphis region to implement an innovation driven economic model that creates sustained capital structures and new policy to grow jobs and talent at all stages of firm development. This work will join and provide capacity to economic development practitioners accelerating regional performance for a higher level of global competitiveness.
Regional Innovation
With new leadership across our economic and community agencies as well as new mayoral administrations and elected officials, there seems to be a thirst for collaborating in more meaningful ways that diversify economic and community development strategies for greater regional success. Memphis has and is still facing complex challenges yet recent initiatives and collaborative efforts are painting a new picture for the city’s future opportunities. These efforts aim to create sustainable economic development that benefits the entire community and fosters a new era of prosperity
MEMx has released a charter document that sets its mission on creating a more innovative region.
How We Got Here
About MEM
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Memphis' Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) worked with Start Co., a venture development organization, to launch MEMx: Partners for Exponential Economic Growth. The City of Memphis, Shelby County Government, Epicenter, The Black Chamber of Memphis, The Greater Memphis Chamber, The University of Memphis, and several other partners joined this cooperative who believed that the region could be doing more in terms of economic growth. Understanding that there are various constraints that practitioners are dealing with (capacity, risk aversion, policy limitations, resources, entrenched funding, data & technology, etc.) Memphis must invest in an economic delivery system that inserts entrepreneurship led economic development in the middle of traditional economic development and traditional workforce development efforts.
Vision
MEMx has a vision to start a regional innovation movement
“The product of economic, social, environmental, and other place-based factors. It requires innovative companies, but also talent with education, skills, and creativity, and livable communities that provide a quality environment, one that is attractive and supportive for people and commerce. It also requires effective regional governance—the ability of public and private entities to work together across boundaries to strengthen economic, social, and environmental assets that are the key to regional vitality and quality of life.”
as defined by Collaborative Economics Innovation Driven Economic Development Model