The clock is ticking: LaunchKC grants’ deadline is Friday
July 5, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Startups in Kansas City and beyond have about 48 hours to apply for LaunchKC grants.
The contest — which will allocate $500,000 via nine grants to startups from around the nation — will accept applications until 11:59 p.m., July 7.
LaunchKC will dish out eight $50,000 grants and one $100,000 grand prize. The final round of competition will unfold live at Techweek Kansas City on Friday, Sept. 15 during a pitch contest.
In 2016, LaunchKC drew more than 400 tech startup applicants for the second year in a row.
In addition to a grant, winning entrepreneurs receive other benefits, including free office space for one year; industry-specific mentors; and professional services, in areas such as legal, financial, and marketing. The grant competition is led by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the Downtown Council of Kansas City.
Winners of the 2016 LaunchKC grants were: Big Bang, BLITAB, ConsultUS, FEWDM, Forest Devices, Labor Chart, Mobility Designed, Mycroft AI, Perfect Cube and Super Dispatch.
Winners of the 2015 LaunchKC grants were: Blooom, Integrated Roadways, KC Drone Company, Nodal Security, Health ID, PopBookings, Pycno, SquareOffs, Vertisense and VideoFizz.
Featured Business

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Biz class to barista: UMKC student’s mobile matcha cart hand-whisks crowds of thirsty fans
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. HerCafe, a matcha business founded by a University of Missouri-Kansas City student and her friend, has found success with its weekend…
Tim Tebow to entrepreneurs: Embrace the heavy lift if you want to reap life’s real profits
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Business should be about driving impact, not just scoring another win, said former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow — challenging Midwest entrepreneurs, community builders, and investors to consider outcomes that boost others, not just one’s personal pocketbook. “Probably everybody in this room has been super blessed with skill sets, resources, relationships, opportunities, companies,…
Here’s how a Prospect renewal project invests in both those who built KC and the city’s future
Economic development initiatives are measured not just in buildings, but in opportunity, said Melissa Patterson Hazley, lauding the use of the Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax Program to transform underutilized parcels in Kansas City into modern, energy-efficient housing that support long-term neighborhood vitality. “Projects like Prospect Summit represent the intentional work of making…
Fusing talent, passion: Serial founder trades his Screamin Cow for offshore talent hiring platform
Brad Starnes’ itch to lean into a newly realized pain point at the end of 2024 led to the acquisition of his Screamin Cow Marketing Group and the launch of another passion project, the former UMKC Student Entrepreneur of the Year shared. With the move — which sees Screamin Cow transitioned to Builders of Authority…
