About Us

The Entrepreneur-Led Economic Development Association is a new kind of professional association.

Built for the people connecting entrepreneurs to capital and programs, at the moment when AI is changing what that work looks like.

What members get

Program funding database

A curated directory of government and institutional funders, so you can line up budget to support your entrepreneurs.

Annual conference registration

Your seat at our yearly gathering in Austin.

Proposal database

Twenty-plus winning proposals to pull structure, language, and strategy for your own.

Job board

Openings and talent in the field, whether you’re hiring or making your next move.

Research and writing

CARICOM State of AI Report

This report examines how AI is adopted across industries and how CARICOM countries can leverage it for regional prosperity and ecosystem outcomes.

Published in partnership with Suriname-based Bit Dynamics.

Accelerating Deep Tech in Latin America Report

ELEDA supported interviews, partnerships, and ecosystem engagement across AI, biotech, and other Deep Tech fields in this collaboration with the Latin American Dynamism Project, an organization funded by Dr. Eric Schmidt (former CEO and Chairman of Google).

The Westerner’s Guide to Chinese Entrepreneurship (Publishing 2027)

The project features on-the-ground reporting from Shenzhen and interviews with founders building inside one of the world’s most dynamic startup ecosystems.

Team

Cam Houser

Cam develops entrepreneurship and innovation programs in 24 countries, mostly through Actionworks, ELEDA’s sister organization.

He teaches AI and entrepreneurship at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas.

Coco Liu

Coco is a writer and economic development practitioner based in Shenzhen. Her work spans research and design at Google to developing Africa’s first Special Economic Zone for tech in Nigeria.

Simon Noerdjan

Based in Suriname, Simon is the managing director of Bit Dynamics, a Suriname-based firm providing web applications, digital transformation services, and AI trainings.

Where our members work

Global mindset

A network is only as strong as its reach.

We run projects on-the-ground in 24 countries, giving us connections to move you and your projects forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is ELEDA for?

ELEDA is for professionals who work in entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs) and economic development organizations (EDOs).

What do members get?

Members get access to a curated funding directory, a library of proposals, a job board, and registrations to our annual conference.

When can I join?

We’re launching January 2027. Sign up below to be notified when membership opens.

How much does membership cost?

Annual dues will be in the neighborhood of $500 and designed to be employer-expensable for salaried professionals.

Founding partners

Join

ELEDA is in its founding phase. We’re building the research, the credential, and the founding cohort before we open fully in January 2027. If you’re reading this, you’re early.

Founding membership is open now for the people who want to back ELEDA before it’s finished and help shape what it becomes. Founding members lock in their rate, get first access to everything we produce, and have a direct line into how we build it.

If you’d rather wait and follow along, join the mailing list below and we’ll keep you posted through launch.

The network for AI-native ecosystem builders