TechTown Detroit has announced Amy Rencher has been promoted to managing director of entrepreneurial programs and services, a new position in which she will lead all entrepreneurial and small business programming.
Rencher will be responsible for directing a suite of tech and small business accelerators, coaching, and entrepreneurial education initiatives.
“Amy is an innovative leader and a key convener in Detroit’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Ned Staebler, president and CEO of TechTown and vice president for economic development at Detroit’s Wayne State University. “Beyond knowing what small businesses need to start and thrive, she understands how best to get them that support.”
Rencher has spent nearly 15 years in leadership positions at companies and nonprofit organizations, developing solutions focused on metrics, systems, and people. She has spent five years at TechTown and as a Detroit Revitalization Fellow.
While at TechTown, Rencher has secured more than $7 million in public and private funding and supported entrepreneurs with more than $5 million of capital leveraged and 300 jobs created or retained.
In response to COVID-19, Rencher helped spearhead virus response initiatives, including the development and execution of the TechTown Stabilization Fund, the 313 Strong small business coaching program, and as an advisory committee member leading technical assistance efforts for Detroit Means Business.
“We’ve had a tremendously impactful year at TechTown supporting entrepreneurs while managing our own programmatic pivots in response to COVID-19,” Rencher says. “As we look to 2021, we know there is still hard work ahead to break down the barriers of systemic racism and injustice to Black, LatinX, and other historically underrepresented entrepreneurs. I am proud to continue to lead a team of some of the most passionate, innovative, and bright coaches, experts, and entrepreneurs in Detroit, and I have no doubt we will continue to rise to the challenge ahead.”
Before working at TechTown, Rencher helped with product launches at General Motors Co. As a Detroit Revitalization Fellow, she studied best practices in addressing Detroit’s challenges of systemic racial inequity and chronic disinvestment. She serves on several boards, including City Year Detroit.
Rencher holds a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University.
