LaunchKC earns honors of its own, must still keep hustling, KC eco devo leader says
October 13, 2018 | Elyssa Bezner
Receiving the Bronze Excellence in Economic Development Award proves the real market value for programs like LaunchKC, said Drew Solomon.
Drew Solomon, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City
The win has been energizing, said Solomon, senior vice president of business and job development at the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, which partners with the Downtown Council of Kansas City to make the program liftoff.
LaunchKC awards $500,000 to nine startups each year through its popular grant competition. Click here to read about this year’s winners — awarded Friday in Power & Light.
The program earned its own honor earlier this month from the International Economic Development Council, the world’s largest membership organization for economic development professionals, in Atlanta, Georgia.
“[The award is] validating, but there’s still a ton of work to do,” said Solomon. “We’ve got to keep hustling and doing all the things that we do.”
LaunchKC has awarded $1.5 million in funding to 29 startups to date, spanning a spectrum of tech-related industries, according to a press release.
“This year, our judges reviewed some extraordinary projects that advanced both communities and businesses,” said Craig Richard, 2018 IEDC board chair. “What we learn from each other helps us to grow and advance as a profession. We look forward to even greater participation from economic developers across the globe in the 2019 awards program.”
Click here to read more about how LaunchKC has impacted grant recipients.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Destination espresso: Parisi Coffee spot pours from family, Union Station inspiration at new KCI
Travelers flying in and out of the Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal can experience the aroma and tastes of an Italian cafe — without leaving the States — when they stop by Parisi Coffee, said Joe Paris. “A core part of our branding has been taking the traditional Italian espresso and bringing it into…
This $250M bid to revive a Midtown historic landmark adds living spaces to Westport school campus
A newly announced development — the largest mixed-use project in Midtown — is expected to bring fresh activity to the vacant hallways of a historic Kansas City school, further anchoring community within a multi-building, street-spanning campus that already includes a Plexpod coworking and events venue. “Once home to students, athletes, and artists, the latest project…
New technology preserves speed, convenience KC air travelers have come to expect (in unexpected ways)
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. You land at Kansas City International Airport a half hour early. Until now that…
Mizzou students started making real angel investments from campus a decade ago; now they need more capital
COLUMBIA, Missouri — The college-aged leaders of Mizzou’s AACE Venture Fund are learning as they go: not just how to invest in real startups across the region, but how to make the university’s long-running student investment program sustainable. “We’re having real-world experiences — such as getting on the phone with founders, doing due diligence and…