Organization · Community
Creative Startups
Creative Startups is a New Mexico-based organization founded in 2008 that empowers economic developers and local partners globally by promoting resilience in the creative economy through strategic planning and entrepreneurship acceleration.
Overview
What Creative Startups does
What Creative Startups is
Creative Startups is a New Mexico-based organization founded in 2008 that empowers economic developers and local partners globally by promoting resilience in the creative economy through strategic planning and entrepreneurship acceleration.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports program host and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Community
- Founded
- Founded in 2008
- Approximate age
- About 18 years
- Structured capabilities
- Program host · Community
- Last reviewed
- March 6, 2026
Official channels
Find Creative Startups elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Creative Startups as a program host
Program thesis
Creative Startups empowers economic developers and local partners worldwide by promoting economic and environmental resilience through strategic planning tailored to the creative economy.
Focus narrative
Creative Startups invests in the creative economy by providing services such as strategic planning, entrepreneurship acceleration, and community engagement through creative gatherings. Their approach emphasizes business growth, equitable placekeeping, and policy leadership to foster sustainable creative livelihoods.
Value and support
Founders participating in Creative Startups' programs receive tailored support for business growth, access to a network of creative entrepreneurs, and opportunities for community engagement and strategic planning.
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Accelerator
- Regions
- Global
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Creative Startups has served over 700 creative companies, which have collectively raised over $300 million in venture financing and created over 4,000 new jobs. Notably, over 80% of the graduating entrepreneurs are women and people of color, with nearly 100 being Native American-led businesses.
Capability profile
Creative Startups as a community
Community overview
Creative Startups is an organization that focuses on empowering economic developers and local partners worldwide. Founded in 2008 and based in New Mexico, it promotes economic and environmental resilience through strategic planning tailored to the creative economy. The organization has developed the world’s first accelerator for creative entrepreneurs, serving over 700 creative companies across five continents. These companies have collectively raised over $300 million in venture financing and created over 4,000 new jobs, with a significant focus on supporting women and people of color.
Community focus
Creative Startups invests in the creative economy by providing services such as strategic planning, entrepreneurship acceleration, and community engagement through creative gatherings. Their approach emphasizes business growth, equitable placekeeping, and policy leadership to foster sustainable creative livelihoods.
Member value
Members benefit from access to strategic planning resources, entrepreneurship acceleration programs, and opportunities for community engagement through creative gatherings. The organization emphasizes equitable growth and supports diverse entrepreneurs.
Membership
- Recorded members
- 700
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors · Operators
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- community and accelerator
- Selection criteria
- open
- Regions
- Global
Community activity
Events and activity
Creative Startups hosts various creative gatherings and events aimed at fostering community engagement and entrepreneurship within the creative economy.
Notable members
Notable team members include Brianna Figueroa (Executive Director), Emily Hunerwadel (Director of Marketing), and Alice Loy (Co-founder & CEO Emeritus).
Common questions
What to know about Creative Startups
Upseed classifies Creative Startups under the Community organization type. Its current public profile includes program host and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 6, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.