The Coop Model™ Approach Growing Talent and Ventures Together ​ The Coop Model™ reimagines regional innovation as a living ecosystem—where people, ideas, and enterprises grow together under shared stewardship and common purpose. Instead of asking whether to first build companies (the chickens) or train workers (the eggs), STEMup’s Coop Model™ develops both simultaneously through an integrated, interdependent system designed to accelerate inclusive growth. ​ How the Coop Model™ Works ​ 1. Educate & Empower Multi-generational learners gain real-time, industry-aligned skills through immersive education, apprenticeships, and simulated or live project experiences that prepare them for high-value careers. ​ 2. Create & Grow Ventures Startups and Scaleups™ receive targeted support to mature more seamlessly enabling them to hire, retain, and grow with the region’s enriched workforce. ​ 3. Connect the Innosystem™ Workers, entrepreneurs, and apprenticeships are linked into a shared environment where skills, ideas, and opportunities circulate—like a thriving coop, not isolated silos. ​ The Impact ​ By cultivating both the “chicks” (ventures) and the “eggs” (skilled workers) within the same framework, STEMup establishes a closed-loop system of workforce supply and entrepreneurial demand. This harmonized model ensures that talent and opportunity grow together, breaking the cycle of mismatched skills and underutilized potential that often limits regional growth. ​​