Techweek KC returning with big LaunchKC, Techstars, BetaBlox demo days
February 28, 2018 | Startland News Staff
One of Kansas City’s biggest conference series for entrepreneurs is returning in October alongside some of KC’s most premier accelerator programs, said Amanda Signorelli, CEO of Techweek KC.
Demo days for Techstars KC and BetaBlox will join LaunchKC as signature events during the Oct. 8-12 conference, she said.
“Combined with the nationally recognized LaunchKC competition that awards $500,000 in non-dilutive grants after a live pitch competition, Techweek KC 2018 will attract and showcase more tech talent and emerging entrepreneurs this year than any other event in the country,” Signorelli said.
Chicago-based Techweek first came to the Kansas City market in 2015, she said, noting organizers are focused now on offering more and better technical content, education and training in the realm of innovation and technology.
An ongoing partnership with Kansas City’s Big Data Summit should help Techweek toward that goal.
“Bringing the biggest names in big data and data analytics to Kansas City within the scope and reach of Techweek is an awesome opportunity for our community,” said Don Peterson, founder of the Big Data Summit and the Kansas City Big Data Meetup.
In addition to big data, Techweek’s 2018 tracks focus on healthcare technology, venture capital, IoT/smart cities, virtual reality and augmented reality, digital media/marketing, public policy in tech, minority entrepreneurship/inclusion, and cryptocurrency/blockchain.
“Combined with the educational and networking opportunities, speaker panels, interactive workshops, a hiring fair, nationally recognized keynote speakers and an expanded expo with over 100 booths, we expect this year’s conference to be the best yet,” Signorelli said.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Confused about Tuesday’s KCI airport vote? Here’s the breakdown
Update: The votes are in! And turnout was high for a mid-term election! Check out Startland’s coverage of Tuesday’s KCI airport vote by clicking here. After more than five years of deal-making and debate, the time has come for Kansas City, Missouri, voters to decide the fate of the city’s current 45-year-old airport. On the…
GEW hopes to spark innovation, connections among entrepreneurs
Global Entrepreneurship Week is about helping businesses that start in Kansas City stay in Kansas City, Jenny Miller said. And it’s for more than the traditional “startup” crowd, the network builder at KCSourceLink said. “GEWKC connects people who may not identify as ‘entrepreneurs’ – those who may think of themselves as makers, creators, freelancers, artists,…
Hip hop entrepreneur: Rap stardom isn’t the only way to a paycheck
Music is everything, Kartez Marcel said. It’s an avenue to express anger and hurt in a positive way. It’s a way to heal. And for aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s an opportunity to earn a paycheck even if they aren’t destined for on-stage superstardom, said Marcel, a Kansas City rapper and hip hop industry mentor. “Everybody wants…
FAQ: Is it all hype? Tunneling into Missouri’s chances for Hyperloop
Virgin Hyperloop One might seem like a pipe dream. But the prospect of Kansas Citians reaching St. Louis in only 23 minutes is more realistic than many think. In fact, according to recent reports, Missouri has at least a 20 percent chance at landing Hyperloop, a yet-to-be-realized transportation system that moves people and freight at…