Techweek KC taps into thirst for community at Boulevard kickoff party (Photos)

October 9, 2018  |  Tommy Felts

kickoff party

Revelers networking Monday night at a kickoff party for Techweek Kansas City were so lost in conversation that they frequently had to be reminded of the open bar available to them at Boulevard Beer Hall.

Jermaine Reed, KC Mayoral Tech Forum, Techweek KC

Jermaine Reed, KC Mayoral Tech Forum, Techweek KC

The evening event capped the first day of Techweek KC programming, which ran the gamut from a KC Mayoral Tech Forum and smart city innovation conversations to the opening of a Big Data track and Demo Day for KCMO’s Innovation Partnership Program.

Click here for a full event schedule for Techweek KC.

Click here to purchase tickets to Techweek.

The success of events like Techweek — and entrepreneurship in Kansas City in general — are thanks to hard work, not luck, said Jessica Palm, managing director of TeamKC at the Kansas City Area Development Council.

“Throughout this week, you’ll see incredible skills of individuals who call Kansas City home, of people who are visiting here and doing tremendous things all over the world,” Palm told the crowd at the kickoff party. “Kansas City is the place to be for tech — whether it’s a top city for really specific technology or the place to begin a career or create a startup.”

Tuesday’s programming dives deeper into blockchain technology, cryptocurrency and other FinTech topics, according to Techweek KC’s schedule, followed Wednesday by a track intentionally focused on diversity and inclusion in tech.

Thursday is dedicated to Techstars Kansas City programming and Demo Day, with LaunchKC and its grants competition rounding out the week Friday.

Check out the gallery from Techweek KC’s kickoff party below.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

2018 Startups to Watch

    stats here

    Related Posts on Startland News

    Alexa, show me the winners: Storytailor leads Pure Pitch Rally prize tally ahead of tech launch

    By Tommy Felts | October 28, 2025

    Storytailor’s marquee Pure Pitch Rally win comes at the perfect time for the Kansas City startup, its founders said. They’re preparing to roll out a new immersive storytelling platform through a partnership with Amazon’s Alexa+ next year — a move expected to bring their tech to more than 200 million Prime users. “It’s the most…

    LISTEN: How the Midwest opened this German agtech company’s eyes to opportunity in the US

    By Tommy Felts | October 27, 2025

    On this episode of our 12-part Plug and Play Topeka podcast series, we connect with Débora Moretti, co-CEO of NutriSen — a Berlin-based agtech startup building real-time molecular sensors to measure nutrient concentrations in plants directly on the field. Moretti shares how her team, alongside co-founder Tobias Vöpel, is merging biosensor technology, data-driven insights and…

    Crossing lanes: KC Streetcar collaborators back aboard for expansion, dropping new merch, anthem

    By Tommy Felts | October 24, 2025

    Opening the extended KC Streetcar line Friday completes a loop for creatives whose collaborations with the popular public transit system first emerged nearly a decade ago along Main Street — a time when Kansas City’s surging vibrancy helped curb streetcar doubters. “For us, it’s always been about representing Kansas City — the people, the culture,…

    André’s planted its flag in KC 70 years ago; chocolatier says that’s just a taste of what’s to come

    By Tommy Felts | October 24, 2025

    Nearly 5,000 miles from Switzerland, a small group toured the inner sanctum of an iconic 70-year-old Kansas City company — a family-run brand that helped redefine accessible luxury in the Midwest, one Swiss chocolate-covered almond at a time. “What people get excited about André’s is the legacy, that we take a lot of pride in…