Techstars to launch new accelerator program in Kansas City
October 19, 2016 | Bobby Burch
Accelerator guru group Techstars announced Wednesday that it’s launching a new program in Kansas City after leading the Sprint Accelerator for three years with Sprint.
Lesa Mitchell
Lesa Mitchell, a former vice president of innovation and networks for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, will serve as the managing director of the Kansas City accelerator.
“We’re excited to announce that we’re deepening our commitment to the rapidly emerging startup ecosystem in Kansas City with the launch of Techstars Kansas City,” the company said in a blog post. “We are excited to continue to support this thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Like its accelerators in Seattle, Boston, Boulder, Austin, London and Berlin, the Kansas City program will have a “horizontal” focus that will accept promising tech startups in nearly any field.
The new program also will retain a similar model to the Sprint Accelerator in that it will be an intensive three-month and mentor-driven experience. It also will inject $120,000 in capital into each startup in exchange for 6 percent equity. It also will host a demo day to show off its participating startups after the program concludes.
Techstars has yet to determine where its facility will be in Kansas City. Though it has a managing director in Mitchell, the organization still must hire a program manager and several associates.
Applications for the program will open in January 2017 and the program will begin in July 2017. Similar to its program with Sprint, Techstars will select 10 startups from around the world.
The accelerator group appears to be still searching for corporate partners in Kansas City, and asked interested companies to email info@techstars.com
Techstars co-founder Brad Feld is no stranger to the Kansas City area. An advisor for the Kauffman Fellows program, Feld also purchased a house — the Feld Fiber House — for entrepreneurs in the Kansas City Startup Village.
Techstars in May indicated that it would maintain its roots in Kansas City regardless of a corporate sponsor. Former Techstars managing director John Fein said in May that Techstars has loved its time in Kansas City and was then in conversations with several area corporations for prospective partnerships.
“The good news is that Techstars is 100 percent committed to Kansas City,” Fein said. “We’ve valued the Sprint partnership over the past three programs and hope that we can continue to do this with Sprint. But regardless, Techstars is 100 percent committed to growing the Kansas City community. … The bottom line is that there’s a ton of momentum in Kansas City, and Techstars recognizes that and wants to continue to play a role in that.”
Stay tuned for more information on this news.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC’s next LGBTQ+ space wants to be more than just a raging club; How this permanent takeover aims to better reflect queer nightlife
Westport nightlife is set for transformation as a sweeping expansion adds seven late-night hotspots to the historic entertainment district — anchored by a new bar catering specifically to Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ community. Q Kansas City — a collaboration with Lance Pierce of Queer Bar Takeover — is expected open its doors in October at 504 Westport…
Chef brings Urban concept back to Troost; $25K GIFT grant boosts fight against gentrification
Chef Justin Clark’s latest venture — an eatery that blends Asian and soul food influences — aims to not only blur the boundaries between menus, but break down dividing lines within and between communities. “The goal was to create familiar items that everyone actually can relate to as Americans, but then again, we add some…
How one small town Missouri entrepreneur built a professional video business in a town of 10,000
Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it. HARRISONVILLE, Missouri — Byron Brooks received his first video camera…
Ruby Jean’s founder juices up STL small biz accelerator as entrepreneur in residence
Chris Goode is sharing the fruits of his business success as the Ruby Jean’s Juicery founder takes on the apron of “entrepreneur in residence” for a Missouri program aimed at supporting Black and Latinx small businesses in St. Louis. In his role with the WEPower All-Industry Accelerator, Goode will guide 10 small businesses through a…