Rodrigo Salas

Rodrigo Salas is an entrepreneurship and innovation leader focused on building stronger ecosystems where founders can turn ideas into sustainable businesses and communities can expand access to economic opportunity.

His work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, strategy, economic development, and community building. Throughout his career, Rodrigo has designed and led programs that help entrepreneurs validate ideas, understand customers, build stronger business models, access resources, and develop the relationships they need to grow. Just as importantly, he has worked behind the scenes to build the partnerships, funding relationships, and community infrastructure that make those programs possible.

Rodrigo currently serves as a Business and Innovation Consultant with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas, where he advises entrepreneurs and small businesses on strategy, innovation, commercialization, and growth. His work includes supporting technology ventures pursuing SBIR/STTR opportunities and helping founders translate ideas into viable businesses.

He also leads the PenFed Foundation’s Veteran Entrepreneur Incubator Program, working with veteran and military spouse founders from across the United States. The program combines intensive entrepreneurship education, customer discovery, mentoring, and ecosystem connections to help founders move from assumptions to evidence and from ideas to execution. Rodrigo has led cohorts and built partnerships with entrepreneurship organizations, universities, business leaders, investors, and innovation communities across the country.

Previously, Rodrigo launched and led the Northwest Arkansas chapter of Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll), building the organization’s presence in the region from the ground up. During his tenure, he developed a broad network of entrepreneurs, mentors, volunteers, community organizations, corporations, and philanthropic partners; recruited more than 400 volunteers; and secured more than $2 million in funding and commitments to expand access to entrepreneurship.

Before moving into economic development and entrepreneurship, Rodrigo built his career in business strategy, branding, innovation, and consumer products. That experience continues to shape his approach today: entrepreneurship programs should not simply teach founders how to write plans. They should help people test assumptions, listen to customers, make better decisions, build useful networks, and create businesses that can actually survive and grow.

Rodrigo is also an educator and facilitator who has taught entrepreneurship and business concepts at the University of Arkansas and works with founders at different stages, from individuals exploring their first business idea to companies preparing for growth and investment.

A native Spanish speaker with experience working across cultures and sectors, Rodrigo is particularly interested in how entrepreneurship ecosystems can become more connected, inclusive, and effective. He believes some of the greatest opportunities come from connecting people and resources that already exist but do not yet know how much they can accomplish together.

Through the Global Entrepreneurship Network, Rodrigo hopes to connect with ecosystem builders, entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and economic development leaders around the world; exchange ideas and proven practices; and explore collaborations that create meaningful opportunities for entrepreneurs and the communities they call home.