By Chris Heivly, Managing Director at Build The Fort and Startup Community EIR @ Techstars

Whether we realize it or not, there are invisible systems pulsing through our startup communities. Some have been around for decades — legacy networks, cultural norms, old-school funding practices. Others? Brand new. They may have started just yesterday with a Slack group, a coffee meetup, or a founder deciding to "build in public."

These systems — both seen and unseen — are what make the startup ecosystem hum. Or sometimes, stall.

One of your biggest jobs as a leader in your community isn’t just organizing events or launching a coworking space. Your job is to see these systems. To understand what’s working, what’s broken, and — most importantly — how they interact with each other.

We often say startup communities are complex systems. And that’s not just buzzword bingo, it’s the truth. Complex systems are not like recipes where you follow instructions and get predictable results. They’re more like raising a child. You can set boundaries, foster values, and encourage behaviors, but there’s no guaranteed outcome.

So the million-dollar question becomes: How do you make change in a complex system like a startup community?

The answer starts with understanding what's already there. If you don’t know the systems — how influence flows, who gets listened to, how resources move — you won’t have a clue what your actions will ripple into. Change one part, and you might unlock a new opportunity… or accidentally create friction somewhere else.

Spotting the systems in your ecosystem is part art, part science, and a whole lot of listening. Here are five ways for you to start uncovering those invisible forces shaping your startup community:

1. Follow the Friction

Where do founders keep getting stuck?

If every early-stage founder tells you it’s impossible to find a local investor who’ll write a $50k check — or that navigating city grants feels like an obstacle course — you’ve just spotted a system. Friction = clue. Repeated friction = system problem.

2. Map the Gatekeepers

Who decides who gets what?

Systems often have gatekeepers. These are the people or institutions that (often unintentionally) determine access to capital, connections, visibility, or support. Sometimes it’s a well-meaning economic development group. Sometimes it’s the same three people on every startup panel. If you keep hearing, “You need to talk to her if you want to get into the accelerator,” guess what? That’s a system.

3. Trace the Norms

What’s considered normal — and who decided that?

Every community has unspoken rules. Like “You have to prove yourself before someone will introduce you to a VC,” or “We don’t talk about failure in public.” These cultural norms are systems in disguise. They shape behavior just as much as formal programs do.

To uncover them, listen to how people talk — especially about what’s “just the way things are.” That’s where norms live. And that’s where you can start nudging new narratives.

4. Observe Who Gets Celebrated

What’s being amplified?

Who’s getting invited to speak? Whose wins are being posted on LinkedIn or the local newsletter? These small acts of recognition are how ecosystems signal what matters — and to whom. 

Celebration is a form of system influence. Pay attention to it, and you’ll see which outcomes the ecosystem is unconsciously reinforcing.

5. Look for the Ghosts

Which programs, platforms, or behaviors stick around — even if they don’t work?

Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t mean it’s helpful. Maybe there’s a pitch competition that’s been running for years, but nobody’s gotten funding from it in forever. Or a monthly meetup that happens because “we’ve always done it.”

These are legacy systems — and they’re hard to change unless you recognize them. Sometimes the most broken systems are the ones hiding in plain sight.

The more you observe, the clearer the systems become. And once you see them? You’re ready to start shifting them — with intention, with empathy, and with a whole lot of patience.

So here’s your real job: become a systems detective. Talk to people, map connections, listen for patterns. Which systems are empowering founders? Which ones are gatekeeping? And which systems are quietly holding everything together?

Once you understand the playing field, that’s when your leadership can really flourish.

Learn more about Techstars Startup Community partnerships, a new way for you to build your thriving startup community as a member of the Techstars network.

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