First State Innovation (FSI) has been proud to support the entrepreneurial economy of Delaware and the surrounding region for the past 19 years.
When FSI was formed in 2006, there was little interest in the entrepreneurial economy and FSI played an important role in highlighting the importance of the entrepreneurial spirit. As a result, since then, the general awareness of entrepreneurism in Delaware has grown dramatically and many initiatives are now underway to help grow the entrepreneurial economy. This has led to an impressive increase in entrepreneurial activity in Delaware and the surrounding region.
In 2015, FSI sponsored the formation of an early-stage venture fund. The fund, Leading Edge Ventures, raised $10 million for investments in early-stage companies, focusing on Delaware and the surrounding region. Over the past ten years, the fund has invested in 15 early-stage companies.
In addition, FSI continues to represent Delaware from a regional economy perspective, including ongoing collaboration in Philadelphia with organizations such as the University Science Center and Select Greater Philadelphia. FSI will continue to promote Delaware and the many great strengths it has as part of the sixth-largest regional economy in the country.
