Kansas Citians preparing for plethora of pitch competitions
October 13, 2016 | Bobby Burch
A staple of early-stage business — the elevator pitch — will be on full display for the Kansas City community in coming weeks.
Entrepreneurs from around the metro area have several upcoming opportunities to pitch their businesses or to hear other innovators deliver spiels on their firms. Here are few of those events.
The University of Kansas’ Startup Showcase — Oct. 20
Furthering its entrepreneurial efforts, KU’s second-annual pitch competition will feature student entrepreneurs in fields ranging from health to sports tech. 12-student entrepreneurs in the KU Catalyst incubator will pitch to a group of investors, including a few from Kansas City such as Darcy Howe from the KCRise fund and Lydia Kinkade of iiM.
Shark Tank: Teacher Edition — Oct. 24
Educators can be entrepreneurs, too. Teach for America Kansas City is hosting their second annual Shark Tank: Teacher Edition event in which teachers will answer the question: “If money were no object, what types of projects would you propose to benefit our students, schools and community?” Sharks participating in the event are Kelvin Herrera, pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, Shirley Helzberg, co-founder of University Academy, Danny O’Neill, founder of The Roasterie and Haillee Bland-Walsh, owner of City Gym.
UberPITCH — Oct. 26
Who needs an elevator when there’s an Uber for a venue? The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has partnered with Uber and business accelerator The Refinery to offer Women-led startups a chance to win up to $120,000 in grants and feedback from investors. Competitors in Kansas City and five other cities 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.
Make48 KC — Oct. 28 – Oct. 30
In a competition mixing invention aptitudes with pitching skills, Make48 KC participants will compete to develop a new commercial product idea during a 48-hour event. Teams have 48 hours to plan, prototype and pitch a new idea within the specifications of a challenge, which is revealed at the start of the contest. Teams will have access to a variety of tools, materials, work spaces and expert guidance. And after they pitch to a panel of judges, the top three teams will be awarded prizes, including a crowdfunding campaign and licensing consideration.
Innovation Partnership Program demo day — Dec. 13
Though it’s a ways out, the Innovation Partnership Program Demo Day is sure to be something special for the City of Kansas City, Mo. and its entrepreneurs. Seven startup firms participating in Kansas City’s IPP are now developing and testing innovative solutions for the city. And for the first time, the 12-week program will culminate with a demo day on Dec. 13 to highlight the ventures’ models and findings with the city.
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