Kauffman Foundation, Uber launch grant contest for women-led startups
September 13, 2016 | Meghan LeVota
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 have a chance to win up to $120,000 in grants and will gain feedback from investors.
Competitors will deliver a 10- to 15-minute pitch to an investor while riding in an Uber. Finalists will be invited to present their companies at the “Fueling the Growth” showcase in Stamford, Conn., on Nov. 16, where finalists will compete for the funds.
“Women-led startups received less than 2.7 percent of venture capital in 2011 – 2013, so a competition like this helps connect women entrepreneurs and investors in a dynamic, fun and innovative way,” Refinery co-founder Janis Collins said in a release. “But this competition is about more than prize money; it’s about giving the founders valuable access to investors and input on their businesses.”
The competition is open to those in Providence R.I., Baltimore Md., New Haven, Conn., Stamford, Conn., Washington D.C., and Kansas City, Mo. In order to apply, startups must have at least one woman in a leadership role, be able to demonstrate scalability, and utilize technology in their business model.
Full guidelines and applications are available here. Entrepreneurs must apply by Oct. 20.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Take a tour of KC’s newest, largest coworking space: iWerx
Kansas City’s newest and largest coworking studio plans to celebrate its grand opening in style during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Based in North Kansas City, iWerx’s massive 33,000-square-feet facility is now welcoming tenants into its swanky new digs that feature an array of amenities, most notably access to its ridiculously fast 10-gigabit Internet. Built in 1929,…
The metric that your startup needs to measure: Net promoter score
Startups are full of uncertainty — and prospective clients know that. Credibility and reputation are both keys to a company’s ability to not only sell a product or service, but also to create brand ambassadors that will promote it to friends and others. As the saying goes, your customers are your best salespeople. “If you…
Comcast launches new gigabit service in Kansas City metro
The Kansas City gigabit market just become more crowded. In addition to Google Fiber and AT&T, Comcast has now joined the ranks of Kansas City Internet providers offering gigabit speeds. In 2017 Comcast will begin to roll out residential gigabit Internet service to customers in the Kansas City suburban area. The company will deliver the…
Four female entrepreneurs will represent KC in UberPITCH contest
Four Kansas City entrepreneurs will be celebrating global entrepreneurship week on the East Coast as they vie for part of a $120,000 pie. Kansas City’s representatives — which are listed below — represent a diverse set of industries, including tech, health and agriculture. Kansas City was one of five participating cities in UberPITCH — a…