Jamie Sundsbak Announced As Executive Director of Collider Foundation

It was my extreme honor to be named Executive Director for the Collider Foundation this week. A very special thank you to our incredible Board of Directors for placing their trust in me.

Over the last decade, I have been fortunate to witness the growth of a true entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rochester. I have been privileged to work with and get to know many outstanding entrepreneurs across all industries in this community. Over the last two years, Collider has worked to support early-stage entrepreneurs by listening, understanding, and connecting them to the right resources at the right time.

Moving into a post-pandemic world, we must double down on our support for entrepreneurs in Rochester. Thanks to Mayo Clinic, Google, and others, we will see an explosion of new medical and life science startups and existing companies who are attracted to Rochester. At the same time, we see a real awakening and realization that we need to increase our community's economic diversity. Collider has been encouraged by the growth of the food, retail, and the services sector providing new frontiers for aspiring entrepreneurs.

We must also continue to move forward on our community efforts to embrace diversity, inclusion, and equity for all Rochester's citizens. Collider has been fortunate to work with so many underrepresented individuals in this community who are "dreaming big" and starting the next generation of companies. We have always believed that entrepreneurship is a key to prosperity and a pathway to a more inclusive ecosystem. Now we see it in action every day, thanks to pioneering women and BIPOC entrepreneurs' hard work and passion.

It's the entrepreneurs that will tell the story of the future of Rochester. It's up to all of us as a strong and unified community to support them on their journey.

How will you help?