Venture for America class comes ‘together like lightning’ for Friday job fair in KC
April 25, 2018 | Startland News Staff
National fellowship program Venture for America is hoping to boost regional startups with an infusion of new talent.
VFA, a two-year program for recent college graduates who want to learn how to build businesses, is planning one of its four regional job fairs Friday in Kansas City.
The group — which launched in Kansas City in 2016 — is bringing more than 20 members of its incoming class of 2018 fellows to interview with startups based in Kansas City and St. Louis from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday at WeWork Corrigan Station. The fellows hail from such esteemed universities as Stanford, Yale, Washington University, Duke and Cornell.
“We are excited to make this a breakout year for Kansas City and the program by bringing together ground floor startups and emerging growth companies with our 2018 class,” said Colleen Jenkins, VFA’s director of Kansas City. “Members of the KC startup community have come together like lightning and rallied a ton of support around VFA. … We’ll look forward to showcasing the city and burgeoning ecosystem, and seeing the many meaningful connections that will come through this event.”
To become a fellow, students undergo five weeks of intensive training and professional development in which they learn from experts, entrepreneurs and industry leaders so they are ready to add value to their startups from Day 1, Jenkins said. Fellows then spend two years working at their startups, serving as core team members while learning first-hand how to contribute to a growing company.
Since its launch in 2011, Venture for America has contributed to the creation of more than 2,000 jobs in its partner cities, which include St. Louis, Denver, San Antonio and others.
While Kansas City is VFA’s newest market, it shows great promise to be a key hub for the organization, Jenkins said. With support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, VFA Kansas City plans to increase the cohort sizes in 2018, build a regional board and further ingrain itself into the community, she added.
To participate in the job fair, click here.
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
What a catch: Kansas City fandom creates custom appeal for taco-loving cartoonist vibe
Drawing from Kansas City’s spotlight moments — whether trendy and new or iconic and timeless — W. Dave Keith balances a quirky aesthetic with a practical focus on what will actually sell. “I’ve slowly learned that if I want to make money off this business, I need to make stuff that people want to buy,”…
Power through purpose: How a winding journey led this eco devo steward to deep-rooted impact
Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. Going behind the scenes of CCED with the people who make it happen Some people are drawn to city-building because of the bricks and steel, the architecture, the skyline, the grandeur…
Missouri’s weapon in the AI race with China: KC tech companies, says GOP lawmaker
As artificial intelligence reshapes the way Kansas City works, civic and elected leaders want to ensure small businesses and the region’s tech community have seats at the table. Federal regulation could help, said Eric Schmitt. “For me, [it’s about] making sure that the big tech companies don’t block out a lot of the innovators, say…
ECJC carves out early-stage startup track for its popular mentoring program: GMS-Tech
After a decade boosting Kansas City founders, Growth Mentoring Service at ECJC is expanding to target assistance specifically toward the region’s early-stage technology startups — using the same proven approach: high-impact, team-based mentoring from top-tier business leaders who’ve already been through it. “We have all these amazing volunteer mentors with deep expertise as either technologists…