Kansas City to kick off global celebration of entrepreneurship
November 9, 2015 | Bobby Burch
A week of entrepreneurial jubilation is on its way to Kansas City.
Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest celebration of innovators and job creators, will bring dozens of programs to the area for entrepreneurs of every stripe. Kansas City joins hundreds of cities in more than 140 countries around the world that are participating in the eighth-annual celebration.
Jenny Miller, network builder for KCSourceLink, said that the week of Nov. 16 will offer Kansas City the chance to flew its entrepreneurial muscles. KCSourceLink, an entrepreneurial and small business resource organization, is helping organize many of GEW Kansas City’s events.
“Kansas City is one of the leading cities for this celebration,” Miller said. “With more than 90 events, there is truly something for everyone. It’s a great way to dip your toe into what entrepreneurship in Kansas City is all about.”
Among the more than 90 events in Kansas City, GEW programs include info on how to start a business, patent a product, build a customer base or even build a company over a few days at Startup Weekend. In addition to educational events, GEW will feature a variety of programs geared toward current business owners hoping to make connections.
“If you have a business, this is a networking smorgasbord,” Miller said. “Last year, more than 7,000 people came out for events, so you’re sure to meet someone who can make a difference for your established business, too. … It also introduces business owners across the metro to the resources that are available to help them start and grow businesses allowing us to create a vibrant and growing economy.”
Miller recommends for those new to GEW to start small and attend a local coffee on Nov. 16 at the neighborhood Coffee Kickoffs. She added that everyone should enjoy eKC Explained on Nov. 17. The event includes a panel discussion with area entrepreneurs and will unveil a guide detailing resources available for various types of businesses.
Nathan Kurtz, entrepreneurial advocate at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, recommended that those interested in GEW should consider attending the One in a Million pitch competition at the Kauffman Foundation set for Nov. 18. He also said that Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak’s conversation with the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentorship Program will offer inspiration for entrepreneurs and other businesspeople.
“The impact has been the connectivity of entrepreneurs with each other and with support organizations,” Kurtz said. “Starting and growing a company is hard work, and GEW offers the opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn from each other, find customers and support other entrepreneurs on the journey.”
For more information on GEW events, check out KCSourceLink’s calendar here.
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
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…
Lean Lab rebrands to reflect its evolution within education innovation
The Lean Lab has announced a rebranding effort to better reflect and differentiate it from other groups in education innovation, said co-founder Katie Boody. Unveiling a new look in late April, the Kansas City-based organization is now LEANLAB Education, which Boody hopes will better communicate its mission, she said. “We know the nature of our…