Prairie Entrepreneurship: An Antidote to Silicon Valley Excesses
The Silicon Valley model of entrepreneurship, while successful in many ways, has significant drawbacks. It externalizes costs in the form of a long list of anti's, i.e., unions, institution, democracy, financial stability, family, truth...even as it accelerates these costs. The "Go fast, break things" mentality, exemplified by recent AI ventures, can lead to sociotechnical issues that require regulatory intervention. This model, rooted in a libertarian reaction to post-WWII conformity, tends to prioritize individual freedom and market ideals over communal structures and natural rhythms. It results in a "winner-take-all" approach, disrupts social structures, and is harmful to democratic principles. Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial style ignores ethical considerations and community needs in pursuit of rapid growth and profitability.
Bradley Canham, Ed.D.
1/31/20252 min read
As part of a wave of communities challenging the dominant Silicon Valley entrepreneurship model, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is pioneering a community-oriented approach to business innovation. Dubbed here as "Prairie Entrepreneurship" the approach is not new to Minnesota. For decades the upper Midwest has successfully practiced entrepreneurship based on cultural norms more grounded in its communal and pioneering past. The emergence of a model also rooted in democratic principles and community values, aims to create sustainable, ethical businesses that further prosperity in the local ecosystem.
A New Paradigm for Business Creation
The traditional Silicon Valley model of entrepreneurship, characterized by its "Go fast, break things" mentality, has long been criticized for externalizing costs and disrupting social structures. The Silicon Valley model continues to externalize costs in the form of a long list of anti's, i.e., unions, institution, democracy, financial stability, family, truth...even as it accelerates these costs. In contrast, Eden Prairie's approach emphasizes community connection and sustainable growth. The model incorporates cutting-edge concepts such as effectuation, design thinking, and knowledge-to-value creation processes, and aligns them with local values and best practices.
Success Stories and Academic Backing
Eden Prairie has already seen success with this community-connected entrepreneurial approach. The Eden Prairie Local News (EPLN) serves as a prime example. At EPLN cultural lodestones aptly described as The Story of Us, the Gift Giving approach, and Rituals were core to creating trust in the organization. These occured in tandem with the journalistic truth-making made its mark and garnered a flow of dollars to sustain the effort. The academic foundations of the approach at EPLN are strong. The approach has been taught at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in their Management of Science program and has informed mentorship in UST's Community Entrepreneurship program.
Key Principles of Prairie Entrepreneurship
Prairie Entrepreneurship is built on several core principles:
Critical thinking that recognizes multiple knowledge sources for complex problem-solving
A humanistic approach that balances AI and data with embodied knowledge
Integration with community needs and values
Recognition of existing "static excellence" in the community
Ethical considerations in innovation
In Prairie Entrepreneurship existing community ethics are recognized as integral and fundamental to processes of peak innovative excellence.
Looking to the Future
With Eden Prairie pursuing forward-thinking projects to address local challenges like youth retention and climate change, the city is positioning itself as a model for ethical, community-oriented entrepreneurship. The potential impact of this approach extends beyond Eden Prairie. Moreover, there's an opportunity for Eden Prairie's embrace of its unique flavor of entrepreneurship to become an influential model.
Informed by the principles of democracy, and an exportable problem-solving approach shaping the discourse, and vision of the future, its still in its early stages. Prairie Entrepreneurship represents a promising alternative to the Silicon Valley model, one that could reshape how we think about business innovation and community development in the years to come.