‘Legendary’ UMKC Enactus team earns spot in national entrepreneurship finals
May 9, 2019 | Austin Barnes
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Enactus team is the fourth most impactful in the country, declared Ben Williams.
“At UMKC Enactus, we take the world’s greatest challenges into our own hands, channeling our power as students, advocates, and entrepreneurs,” the team told a crowd gathered Tuesday at the Kansas City Convention Center, as they took the stage in the final round of the Enactus U.S. nationals.
University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Enactus team; Photo courtesy of Darcy Howe
“I’m excited with how well the UMKC Enactus team performed, but it is not unexpected considering the trajectory they have been on over the years,” said Williams, managing director of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Enactus advisor at UMKC.
Students in the UMKC branch of Enactus — a competitive entrepreneurial development program with a 1,000-plus campus and global reach — have finished in the top 32 at the U.S. Nationals for the last four years, Williams explained.
Click here to learn more about Enactus and its mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship on college campuses.
The competition featured 400 teams, solidifying the significance of the achievement for UMKC, Williams said.
“This team is legendary,” Megan Darnell, program manager at Fountain City Fintech and UMKC Bloch school alum, congratulated the team on Twitter.
In addition to the ranking, members of the UMKC Enactus team secured two individual awards.
Andrea Savage — who also won the UMKC student entrepreneur of the year award in 2018 — was named Enactus USA project leader of the year.
Ali Brandolino, UMKC Enactus vice president of operations, was recognized as Enactus USA membership leader of the year.
A Reverse Pitch Competition — a new track of competition for the team — saw two UMKC Enactus members join forces with four students from other schools to pitch a solution to a challenge presented by the Kansas City Area Development Council, Williams noted.
“These students will be the leaders of the future and we are lucky to be part of their development,” he said.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Firm with deep KC ties wins Small Business of the Year thanks to tenacity, hyperlocal focus
Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. A decades-long commitment to Kansas City clients — and the belief that rising tides lift all ships — helped propel Walz Tetrick Advertising to the award stage…
How this genre-hopping KC musician is fighting back against digitized entertainment
A former college football star, Keelon Vann often found himself “running on fumes” as he chased his passion on the field — and on key. “I’d be up playing guitar until 3 a.m., which is not a joke, and somehow make it to 5:30 a.m. workouts the next day,” said Vann, a quarterback at Piper High…
Public vote picks KC Chamber ‘Fan Favorites’ ahead of Small Business of the Year reveal
In a display of growing support and recognition for the Kansas City companies, Overflow and Emerson & Co have been crowned this year’s “Fan Favorite” winners by the KC Chamber — marking the only award chosen by public vote as part of annual Small Business Celebration. “It represents the voice of the community and highlights…
New collaboration will help OP startup 3D bioprint, scale its next-gen biotech solution
A Kansas biotech startup’s new manufacturing partner will boost efforts to automate and mass produce Ronawk’s headline-grabbing Bio-Block technology — a platform that has already accelerated medical advancements in tissue therapy. “Collaboration is critical for turning research advances into commercial therapies rapidly. The complexity and diversity of modalities is so big that nobody can do…