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
Missouri’s best breweries are in Kansas City (and they have the medals to prove it)
Two Kansas City brewers barreled through the competition earlier this week, earning the first-ever, statewide “Brewery of the Year” honors for local favorites Boulevard and BKS Artisan Ales. It’s a feat fermented through years of dedication by the teams behind the labels, both brewers said. “From the day we opened, we have kept balance with…
World Cup readiness event opens City Hall to entrepreneurs hoping to get on the roster
Kansas City wants to score as many points as possible when the FIFA World Cup arrives in 2026, said Janá Wagner, emphasizing that a special event planned Tuesday during GEWKC aims to get businesses into the game now — playbook in hand. “Our goal is to help as many entrepreneurs as possible get properly licensed,…
10 top event picks for GEWKC; build your own schedule from 60+ sessions
With dozens of events on the calendar for GEWKC, Union Station will be bustling with activity, said Callie England, noting organizers intentionally curated a week where attendees can’t go wrong — no matter how they fill out their itinerary. “While the schedule can feel full, it’s truly the best of the best,” said England, director of…
How AI changes the the founder code: ‘This is all moving faster than anyone expected’
New tech opportunities — like artificial intelligence — hold the potential to equalize the Kansas City region among more established startup hubs, investment leaders said Thursday, but to fully take advantage, entrepreneurs who want strong, lasting companies must have a fire inside them. Not to mention grit. “Several really incredible entrepreneurs said, ‘I think the one…