Events Preview: GEW Innovation Exchange
November 15, 2016 | Jordan EuDaly
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious Kansas Citian, we recommend these upcoming events for you. Join us in celebrating the remainder of Global Entrepreneurship Week and check out these events.
WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW
The Capital Series: So You Want to Raise a Round? How to Start Fundraising
When: November 16 @ 11:00am – 12:30pm
Where: Sprint Accelerator
Ready to raise a round of funding but struggling to find a starting point?
Join Keith Harrington and John Fein, two homegrown KC entrepreneurs and VCs, for a clear explanation of the steps you can take to create a fundraising strategy. This workshop will outline how to create a fundraising plan, from determining the size of your round to compiling a target list.
Corporate Engagement: Essential for the Startup Ecosystem
When: November 16 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: Sprint Accelerator
In order for Kansas City to be become “America’s Most Entrepreneurial City”, we must engage top area corporations. Corporations need startups and startups need corporations. Linking the innovative spirits, strategies and technologies of entrepreneurs with the knowledge, expertise and commercialization of corporations allows the whole ecosystem to thrive. At Sprint Accelerator, we’re creating a cultural exchange between entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to break down barriers to communication, innovation and overall progress. Join us at the Sprint Accelerator during GEW to hear directly from key stakeholders from these essential communities (corporate and entrepreneurial). You may even learn a bit more about what we’ve been up to and what’s in store for Spring 2017! There are a lot of exciting efforts taking place with the goal of engaging corporations with the startup ecosystem. So come to mingle with old friends and brand new resources, for a much stronger KC moving forward together!
The Innovation Exchange GEW
When: November 17 @ 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Where: Think Big Coworking
Rarely are all the facts of breaking news included in the stories we read. From the coincidences that led to a business deal to the personal challenges along the way, there’s often a fascinating patchwork of details that remain in reporters’ notebooks. Think of Innovation Exchange as a chance to open a news organization’s notepad for a view into its sources’ rich backstories. On Oct. 20, Startland News editor Bobby Burch will explore breaking news in Kansas City entrepreneurship via a fireside chat with the newsmakers that catalyzed the headlines.
Think Big Startup Waffles
When: November 18 @ 8:30am – 10:00am
Where: Think Big Coworking
Are you a founder, hacker or investor in a startup? Do you like free all-you-can-eat, yummy waffles? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then come celebrate GEW with Kansas City’s most talented entrepreneurs! Bonus: Made to order waffles are made by the Think Big “chefs”!
ONGOING EVENTS
Don’t miss out on the events that happen every week at the same time, in the same place.
Code for America Hack Night @ Sprint Accelerator
Mondays from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Coworking Wednesdays @ Sprint Accelerator
Wednesdays from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Hammerspace Open House @ Hammerspace
Thursdays from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
1 Million Cups @ Kauffman Foundation, Lawrence & KC Live Stream
Wednesdays from 9:00am – 10:00 am
LOOKING AHEAD
The Budget Series: Monitoring Financial Performance
When: December 1 @ 10:30am – 12:00pm
Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson County
Entrepreneurs and business owners need to know more than just how to produce a financial statement – this workshop covers what to look for on your financial statements, as well as key metrics to help you look beyond P&L and cash flow to see the true health of your business.
The Capital Series: Reading Term Sheets & Structuring a Deal
When: December 8 @ 7:30am – 9:00am
Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson County
You walk into the room, you give your big pitch, the investors applaud and hand you a check, right?
Wrong. Getting the details of your deal right after the pitch are an essential piece of the investment process. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the terms and conditions commonly used and the structure angel investors prefer when funding early stage entrepreneurs.
Second Fridays at Village Square
When: December 9 @ 4:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: Village Square Coworking Studio
Second Fridays is a casual, fun gathering for the startup community to connect on a monthly basis with no agenda except good times. We’ll provide games & cards. This event is BYOB with a twist – bring a 6-pack of your favorite beer to share and we’re going to have a “beer potluck” cooler. We’d also encourage you to bring an instrument if you play. What better way to end your week than with a jam session?! Feel free to stop by anytime after 4:30pm.
Poe Man’s Challenge
When: December 13 @ 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: Think Big Coworking
Poe Man’s Challenge is an event that bridges at-risk youth and tech entrepreneurs in a competition to see which team can present their company the best in a “Shark Tank”-like setting. A number of Dontari’s teammates will be there, along with a Harlem Globetrotter and various tech luminaries.

2016 Startups to Watch
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