AltCap launches small business competition in KC
September 9, 2015 | Ashley Jost
After a recent rebrand, Kansas City-based AltCap is back with a new small business competition aimed at local entrepreneurs.
AltCap program manager Christine Kahm said their first program is seeking to aid those businesses who aren’t looking for venture capital funds or angel investors, but who do need help getting their business idea off of the ground. AltCap – short for alternative capital – was the product of KCMO CDE’s rebrand last month.
“We’re trying to provide an opportunity for folks who are either in business and maybe struggling and want to grow, or those with an idea who need help getting it off of the ground,” Kahm said.
The program is a competition, and entering is free. Cash prizes for the top three finalists range from $500 to $5,000.
It is geared more toward “people who are looking to build a lifestyle and help provide for their family with their business idea,” Kahm said.
In addition to the cash prizes, the finalists also receive a scholarship to AltCap’s 16-week business-building workshop, marketing assistance, help finding office or retail space and consulting services.
The application is free, which Kahm said she hopes motivates anyone who is interested to consider it. Applicants have to submit a one- to two-minute video pitch about their business idea to AltCap by Sept. 30. Those that make it past round one will submit business proposals and financial templates to progress further in the competition.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Beth Ellyn McClendon: If you want investors, skip LLCs and form a C-Corp
Editor’s note: Beth Ellyn McClendon is a seed-stage investor with board and advisory board experience. She previously worked in design and product management for Google Mapping, Android, YouTube, Cisco and Netscape. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. So, you’re planning a startup, you’ve got a good lawyer and now you’re thinking…
Popular TEDxKC won’t return in 2018; organizers to focus on women, youth events
TEDxKC — one of the largest and most-popular independently-organized TEDx events in the world — won’t be back for 2018. While TEDxYouth@KC and TEDxKCWomen are expected to return in 2018, hitting pause on TEDxKC’s “general ideas” event will allow organizers to reflect on accomplishments, missteps and milestones, said Mike Lundgren, co-founder of TEDxKC. “We asked two…
Fitbit integrating Sickweather illness forecasting into new wearables
Sickweather is stepping into the wearables market. A new partnership with industry leader Fitbit is expected to see the Kansas City-based startup’s illness forecasting technology integrated into Fitbit’s new products. “Smartwatches provide a powerful platform to deliver important health tools that help our users manage conditions more conveniently than ever before,” said James Park, co-founder…
Surveys, rewards dying: Tapyness scores customer feedback with one-tap, 3-second experience
No one takes 15-minute surveys anymore, said Matthew Korte, co-founder of Tapyness, a Lawrence-based customer experience platform that provides real-time feedback via kiosks in client businesses. A typical Tapyness interaction takes three seconds, he said. “We’re down to the millisecond, and we’re aggregating hundreds of tablets simultaneously within one brand to go: ‘Here’s the health…