A marriage of Mr. K’s passions, ‘E Day at the K’ returns July 19
July 8, 2016 | Bobby Burch
To say one of Kansas City’s greatest entrepreneurs — Ewing Marion Kauffman — loved baseball would be an understatement.
The founder of Marion Laboratories Inc., Kauffman purchased the Royals in 1968 to bring America’s pastime to his beloved hometown, Kansas City. Along with boosting civic pride, the Royals became a model franchise, employing “moneyball” statistical techniques that helped the team become perennial playoff contenders, win two American League pennants and the World Series in 1985.
But perhaps even more important to Kauffman than baseball was imparting to Americans the tools to economically empower themselves through entrepreneurship. That’s why the foundation in his namesake — the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation — is continuing a tradition that marries two of his passions: entrepreneurship and baseball.
The foundation is hosting its fifth-annual “E Day at the K” tailgate 4 to 6 p.m., July 19, before the Royals take on the Cleveland Indians. The entrepreneurial event will feature food, live music, a painting demonstration and speaker panel with musicians Victor & Penny, artist Phil Shafer and photographer Chris Dahlquist.
“Mr. Kauffman wanted Kansas City to be a premier U.S. city. When he brought the Royals to KC in the 1960s, it was to ensure Kansas City would be on the map as a major city and a Major League city,” said Nathan Kurtz, the Kauffman Foundation’s senior program officer in entrepreneurship. “Mr. Kauffman saw the stadium and the Royals as a place for the city to convene, to connect, to interact and grow as a city. E-Day at the K is another chance for our community to celebrate, learn and cheer on our defending World Series champs.”
Kurtz said that the event provides a space for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to learn from others and each other. With artist entrepreneurs performing and presenting, Kurtz said the event will bring together Kansas City’s diverse entrepreneurial community.
To learn more or to register for the event, go to: www.kauffman.org/eday
Featured Business
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
UMKC pitch challenge awards $95K+ for ‘entrepreneur state of mind’ in and outside the classroom
Winning $15,000 in Friday’s pitch competition at UMKC’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge felt like the culmination of years of hard work and development, said Iyshia Sims. “Oh my gosh, I’m just so proud of myself,” said Sims, founder of ‘Amir’acle Body Butters and More. “I felt really good after the pitch, I have pitched a…
InvestMidwest returns to St. Louis May 6-7 for Midwest venture capital forum’s 25th year
ST. LOUIS — About 50 startups — including some of Kansas City’s most high-profile emerging companies — are expected to pitch to more than 100 investors May 6-7 when the InvestMidwest conference turns St. Louis into the gateway to innovation. “On the 25th anniversary of InvestMidwest, it’s great to be back in St. Louis where it…
Family’s Japanese-inspired fabric gift wrap hits a home run with new fans (and an iconic American baseball team)
At the intersection of heritage and innovation, a Kansas City family business is pitching a new way to gift, through vibrant fabric package wraps that carry both meaning and intention — even catching the attention of an unexpected collaborator: Major League Baseball. Keiko Furoshiki — a Kansas City brand crafted at the creative fingertips of Japanese-American…
Tech veterans launch startup studio to back next-wave SaaS products with founder-led thinking
Backed by years of entrepreneurial wins, the team behind Full Scale and the exited Stackify just announced a new product studio and startup lab concept — purpose-built for what founder Matt Watson called the post-playbook SaaS era. “Founders today are facing a new set of realities,” said Watson, serial entrepreneur, podcast host, and co-founder of…