St. Louis tech group expanding to KC
July 2, 2015 | Abby Tillman
A St. Louis tech organization is using its recent funding award to expand its operations into Kansas City.
LaunchCode, a nonprofit organization that helps with job placement in technology, received a $250,000 award Wednesday from the Missouri Technology Corporation that will help it expand to cities across Missouri, including Kansas City.
“MTC’s support will be instrumental in allowing us to serve Missouri communities,” LaunchCode Executive Director Brendan Lind said in a release. “MTC’s commitment has deepened our dedication to the state, and affirmed our desire to make Missouri the model for how LaunchCode expands to other states.”
The organization has secured commitments to match MTC’s support, but will source an additional $850,000 to fully realize its Kansas City hub and explore opportunities for expansion to other Missouri cities. The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Mo., and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have joined MTC as key partners in bringing LaunchCode to the region.
“Given our commitment to educating and employing our residents, it is critical that the city can rely on partners such as LaunchCode to facilitate synergy in our technology community as we work to equip residents for available technology related jobs,” Kansas City Mayor Sly James said in a release. “I applaud the Missouri Technology Corporation’s support of LaunchCode, and encourage other organizations to support LaunchCode and similar programs in Kansas City.”
The tech workforce organization currently partners with over 300 employers nationwide to place job seekers from non-traditional educational backgrounds in paid apprenticeships in technology jobs. They have placed 205 apprentices in tech jobs with over 90 percent converted to permanent hires within 90 days through the TechHire initiative in St. Louis.
On July 15, LaunchCode will host a public forum to discuss its Kansas City expansion with regional community leaders, employers, workforce agencies, educators, and the public. To learn more, click here.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Welcome to Startland News
Scrappy. Determined. Gritty. Those often were the words attributed to the Kansas City Royals as the team unexpectedly surged into the 2014 World Series and captured the national spotlight. Those very words are apt for this city, which has been built on the grit and determination of successful entrepreneurs like Ewing Kauffman, Joyce Hall, Henry…
Kansas budget woes render uncertainty for angel tax credits
As state budgetary concerns loom in the background, early-stage firms in Kansas are hoping a bill to extend the Sunflower State’s Angel Investor Tax Credit program will become a priority for legislators. Scheduled to sunset after the 2016 fiscal year, the program annually allocates $6 million in credits to entice investments in early-stage, growth-oriented companies…
KC virtual reality firm partners with KU, NFL coaches
A Kansas City-based virtual reality company hopes some marquee partnerships will plug it into a market projected to reach $150 billion in five years. Founded in 2013, Eon Sports VR recently landed the University of Kansas football team as a client for its mobile virtual reality platform to help players train without the risk of…
ECJC relocates office, updates brand
The Enterprise Center in Johnson County is shaking things up. The non-profit organization that connects entrepreneurs to the resources they need to grow revealed Thursday an updated website, brand identity, and new office location. “This move is the culmination of a long, strategic transition to ensure that as Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community changes, we change…