ScaleUp! Kansas City launches search for area’s next $1M firms
February 25, 2016 | Kat Hungerford
ScaleUp! Kansas City is now accepting applications from area entrepreneurs for its fourth program to accelerate founders’ businesses.
The program will welcome 15 entrepreneurs that aim to push their firm’s revenue past $1 million annually. ScaleUp! KC connects entrepreneurs with mentors, peers and resources to grow their businesses.
Applications are open until April 19, with the program’s fourth cohort launching May 19.
To apply, entrepreneurs must lead a company that has been in business for at least two years, generate annual sales of between $150,000 and $750,000, and operate in a market that can generate more than $1 million in sales.
To date, 48 Kansas City businesses have entered the program. Alumni include entrepreneurs in such industries as software, transportation, fitness, food and more.
Among ScaleUp!’s success stories is Chris Rosburg, owner of CR Promotions, who says the program is directly responsible for his company’s growth.
“The ScaleUp! program has been incredible for me and my business,” said Rosburg in a release. “The resources we were introduced to and the guidance we had through those weeks has helped my company get ready for the next stage of growth … Since graduating from the program, we have seen sales increase by 25 percent each month.”
ScaleUp! Kansas City is operated by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center in partnership with KCSourceLink. Applications are open until April 19, with the program’s fourth cohort launching May 19.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Kauffman Foundation, Uber launch grant contest for women-led startups
Female entrepreneurs in Kansas City may not have the luxury of riding a “glass escalator,” but on Oct. 26 they can take an Uber ride for a chance at $120,000. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on Tuesday announced UberPITCH, a nationwide pitch competition in partnership with Uber and business accelerator The Refinery. Women-led startups will…
5 glimpses into Uber VP Brian McClendon’s crystal ball
Brian McClendon — vice president of maps and business platform at Uber — may reside in Silicon Valley, but his roots are here in the prairie. Originally from Lawrence, Kan., McClendon graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in electrical engineering and now serves on several advisory boards for his alma mater. Sporting…
EyeVerify sells to Alibaba affiliate for more than $100M
In what represents one of the metro’s most notable exits in the last decade, Kansas City-based startup EyeVerify announced Tuesday that it has been acquired. Ant Financial — the payments affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding — purchased EyeVerify for more than $100 million, according to an unnamed local source familiar with the deal. Ant Financial…
Google Express offering delivery services in Kansas City
As part of a massive Midwestern expansion, Google Express is offering its services in Kansas City. Google announced Tuesday that it’s now offering delivery services to more than 40 million new Midwest customers after its debut in 2013. Google Express — an online marketplace that connects shoppers with retailers — provides delivery services of…