HEMP brings Apple co-founder to KC as featured speaker

May 8, 2015  |  Abby Tillman

Screen Shot 2015-07-27 at 1.50.30 PM

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, will be the keynote speaker at The Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Screen Shot 2015-07-27 at 1.50.30 PMWozniak’s experience shaping the computing industry and influential product design for Apple have produced him fame as one of technology’s key thought leaders.

“As a successful entrepreneur, Steve Wozniak understands the importance a mentor can make in someone’s life, which is why we’re so excited to have him help celebrate 20 years of inspiring people through mentorship in Kansas City,” HEMP founder Barnett Helzberg Jr. said in a recent release.

The event will also feature the announcement of the first inductee into the newly established “HEMP Hall of Fame” — a program established to honor mentors in the program. Since 1995, more than 300 entrepreneurs have participated in the program and their impact on businesses has been significant. The companies of HEMP participants have on average grown revenue 43 percent and increased headcount by 30 percent.

The event will be held the evening of Thursday, Nov. 19, in Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri.

Advance sale group tickets of ten or more seats are on sale now, and individual tickets will be available Sept. 15. More information can be found at www.hempkc.org.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

2015 Startups to Watch

    stats here

    Related Posts on Startland News

    Scout charts pre-seed funding from Midwest investors at KCRise Fund, eGrowth Ventures

    By Tommy Felts | November 24, 2025

    The just-announced pre-seed round for an emerging innovator in veterinary medicine software is expected to help the Kansas City-built startup deepen its product capabilities, further strengthen its core technology, and strategically grow its team to meet rising demand. “Closing this round gives us the resources and momentum to execute on our mission,” said Dr. Gonzalo…

    Keystone launching corporate engagement accelerator to boost low-friction startup collabs

    By Tommy Felts | November 20, 2025

    Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem gets its fair share of positive press thanks to a decade of momentum, Kevin McGinnis noted, but the region’s ability to scale innovative ideas to their potential remains stalled because corporations and startups lack an easy on-ramp for collaboration. “We have been listening for years to the ecosystem, to the community,…

    Just funded: AltCap Your Biz cycles trio of winners from KC’s diverse hospitality scene

    By Tommy Felts | November 20, 2025

    Persistence pays off, said Ruben Alonso, celebrating a decade of the AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition and its role as an energy boost for Kansas City small businesses. The latest winning founders walked away with $60,000 in checks Wednesday at Union Station. Two of this year’s top three winners were returning finalists, the AltCap CEO…

    Innovation check(s): Angels scout potential KC investments at NXTUS nano-pitch event

    By Tommy Felts | November 19, 2025

    A startup showcase Tuesday in the heart of Johnson County’s innovation community put impact on display as NXTUS’ Accelerate Venture Partners organized a nano-pitch event for its network of angel investors amid Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City festivities. The Wichita-based entrepreneurial support organization — which has mobilized over $8.5 million for entrepreneurs in the Heartland since…