Entrepreneurs identified COVID needs — now GEWKC needs your help to solve them
September 15, 2020 | Startland News Staff
Challenges exposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are prompting a more focused slate of programming for Global Entrepreneurship Week Kansas City, Jenny Miller said, as organizers of the community-sourced celebration open applications for virtual “GEWKC Prime-Time” events.
Prospective hosts will sign up for events in specific topic areas – such as starting a business, developing a marketing strategy, pivoting, preparing for funding and financing — that surveyed business owners requested.
Click here to read more about GEWKC’s decision to lean into recession-focused needs.
“This new, three-day virtual platform is designed to help people start businesses and help existing business owners rebuild, especially during the challenges COVID-19 has presented, but we also want it to be a space for community members to connect from anywhere,” said Miller, GEWKC organizer and senior director of regional ecosystem development at the UMKC Innovation Center. “The GEWKC team hopes to create a ripple effect that fuels relief, allowing entrepreneurs to forge new pathways to resilience and prosperity.”
In addition to networking, interactive breakout sessions and other virtual activities during the Nov. 17-19 virtual event series, organizers are planning the GEWKC Prime-Time sessions to be broadcast for anyone, anywhere to see, she said. Prime-Time events will also be recorded and made available to anyone after GEWKC.
Click here to see what event topics and times are available. Submissions are open now through Sept. 25.
Those interested in presenting are also asked to submit a basic abstract of their event to include learning goals and outcomes. Hosts selected for GEWKC Prime-Time events will be notified in early October.
“This new GEWKC virtual format not only allows for social distancing and safety but also invites speakers beyond Kansas City’s regional entrepreneurial community,” GEWKC organizers said.
During the day, attendees can participate in around 50 engaging, GEWKC Prime-Time events that will take place, virtually, over four hours during the day.
GEWKC will also open up to virtual and small, in-person GEWKC Community events, held throughout the community and region, giving aspiring and established entrepreneurs more chances to connect and network.
Registration for GEWKC Prime-Time events is expected to begin Oct. 12, with GEWKC events added through Nov. 11.
Since it launched in 2008, Global Entrepreneurship Week — an annual celebration in November comprised of thousands of events and competitions across the world — has expanded to 170 countries.
Featured Business
2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
How a van life competition, web series could prove Grandview-founded startup’s revenue model
Social media platforms don’t need to rely on advertisements and algorithms to generate revenue, Wesley Elder said — instead they can partner with brands and creators to create unique and authentic experiences. The Jump, a Grandview-based social media platform focused on creating a positive space where users can bond over common interests, has kept its…
KC’s first Black-owned brewery reveals future home: Historic redevelopment project on Vine Street
A piece of Kansas City history — now an in-the-works east side business development near one of the city’s famed entertainment districts — is expected to be the home of KC’s first Black-owned brewery, Kemet Coleman confirmed Monday. “The cat’s out of the bag,” said Coleman, revealing plans for the soon-to-debut Vine Street Brewing company to…
Making home haircuts fresh again: KC barber reimagines barbershops with mobile service, app
Michael Thurman had a 1-year-old child at home and another baby on the way when COVID-19’s outset left him without work for eight weeks, he shared. Contemplating how he could have more freedom and stability as a barber, the wheels began turning beneath Thurman’s scalp. His idea: create a traveling barber platform — now known as…
GEW event series set for 7-day, hybrid return; now accepting presenter submissions
Global Entrepreneurship Week Kansas City, the metro’s largest annual celebration of entrepreneurship, is seeking event submissions from the community to help aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small business owners build their operations and be more resilient for the future. “Even though pandemic restrictions are over, we know the struggle to keep doors open is very real,…