HEMP brings Apple co-founder to KC as featured speaker
May 8, 2015 | Abby Tillman
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, will be the keynote speaker at The Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program’s 20th anniversary celebration.
Wozniak’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.
Featured Business

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
The Nerdery powers down, exiting Kansas City in move to consolidate investments
Once topping Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing companies list, The Nerdery is now pulling back — closing its Kansas City office and redirecting the paths of 28 metro employees, the company revealed this week. “This decision is by no means a reflection of the performance of the team in Kansas City, who have all done a fantastic…
SafetyCulture executing fireproof growth strategy from new Crossroads US HQ
A recent move placed SafetyCulture into the largest fireproof building in KC — a choice reflecting the startup’s customer-centered approach, said Ross Reed, noting the building’s more-than-a-century-old history was an added plus. “iAuditor helps organizations prioritize safety and quality,” said Reed, president of SafetyCulture’s KC-based North American branch. “If construction companies can show they they…
Prime Digital Academy set to launch KC training for tech hopefuls in transition
Prepping workers for roles in an ever-updating tech space just got easier for Kansas Citians, declared Mark Hurlburt. “We do that through immersion learning,” said Hurlburt, president and co-founder of Prime Digital Academy. “We have a program that we’re excited to bring to Kansas City.” Minnesota-made in 2014, Prime Digital Academy — a 20-week program that…
Strategic investment from Five Elms Capital comes with new CEO for RFP360
A freshly announced strategic growth investment is expected to boost RFP360’s sales, marketing and product development, as well as paving the way for added leadership at the Kansas City-based tech startup. Financial details of the deal with Five Elms Capital were not disclosed, but the move comes in conjunction with the arrival of former Perceptive…
