Michael Goldberg's career defies convention—weaving through refugee camps, post-apartheid South Africa, AOL's China expansion, and Cleveland's medical innovation ecosystem. His pioneering Massive Open Online Course "Beyond Silicon Valley" unexpectedly became a global phenomenon, resonating in places from Iran to Kosovo with its uniquely Cleveland-inspired model of entrepreneurial development that blends government support, philanthropy, and private investment.

Now leading the Veale Institute, Goldberg observes how today's students arrive with entrepreneurial mindsets already formed, while he continues his passion for building bridges between entrepreneurs across continents—proving that innovation ecosystems can flourish far beyond traditional tech hubs when communities leverage their distinctive strengths.