A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US
START FORT WAYNE IS A 501(C)3 THAT BEGAN IN MARCH 2015 AS A RAG-TAG BAND OF ENTREPRENEURS AND EDUCATORS DEDICATING THEIR SPARE TIME TO HELP BUILD A LASTING COMMUNITY AND CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION IN NORTHEAST INDIANA.
OUR MISSION
Start Fort Wayne helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into growth-oriented businesses.
OUR VISION
Northeast Indiana offers a thriving entrepreneur ecosystem that attracts and retains innovators and investors.
OUR CORE VALUES
Respect. We treat all people with dignity and respect.
Authentic. We serve our constituents with genuine care and concern for their well-being, not our own.
Agile. We work quickly, learn from experience, and immediately apply new knowledge.
Inclusive. We want all people, regardless of circumstance, to be able to succeed.
Cooperative. We work with other organizations, knowing that we better serve the community by being a part of the whole.
Fact-based. We evaluate and choose methods for their outcomes based on data. We measure our data to ensure effective outcomes.
As a 501(c)3 Nonprofit, We are fueled, funded, and fascinated by our local community
TEAM
DAN SWARTZ
Executive Director
Dan Swartz is an artist and entrepreneur who became the Executive Director of Start Fort Wayne in July 2020 during the uncertainty of the global pandemic. Since joining, he has stabilized the organization, and created a foundation for growth. With previous experience in nonprofit management, economic development, and private equity, Swartz has a unique perspective on how Start Fort Wayne and the greater Fort Wayne community can nurture, and benefit from, a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Dan Swartz
COMMUNITY MANAGER:
Erica Anderson-Senter