The journey can make or break an entrepreneur; Pipeline gala returns June 15 to celebrate connectivity at the intersection

Editor’s note: Pipeline Entrepreneurs is a partner of Startland News, though this report was produced independently by the nonprofit newsroom.

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Pipeline Entrepreneurs’ new era is all about community, said Melissa Vincent, with more than a nod to the resilience needed to sustain a vibrant startup ecosystem.

Melissa Vincent, Pipeline Entrepreneurs

“When you go through the Pipeline program, it becomes a very tight-knit community. We also, as an organization, do a lot of work within the community and alongside the community. We really want to showcase the people who have partnered with us throughout this process, because it’s not something we could have done alone. It’s been a community effort,” Melissa Vincent, who serves as the executive director of Pipeline Entrepreneurs. 

The Kansas City-based nonprofit is set to premiere a video on the new era of Pipeline June 15 at its Annual Innovators Gala. The production will highlight how the organization has evolved through the years and emphasize the importance of a founder-first approach. 

The 2023 Pipeline Entrepreneurs’ Annual Innovators Gala is set for 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 15 at Hotel Kansas City, with an after party until 1 a.m. at Nighthawk Lounge in the basement level of Hotel Kansas City.

“This event isn’t just for Pipeline; it’s for our entire ecosystem of entrepreneurs and supporters,” Vincent said. “It’s really a celebration of what it takes to be an entrepreneur — the resiliency, the spirit and the tenacity. Entrepreneurship can also be a lonely journey at times, so this is a fun chance to network and connect. That connectivity is so important.”

Click here to purchase a ticket to Pipeline Entrepreneurs’ Annual Innovators Gala.

Erik Logan, World Surf League

Erik Logan — former president of the Oprah Winfrey Network and current CEO of the World Surf League — is set to be the 2023 keynote speaker for the event. Since joining the World Surf League in February 2019, Logan led the development of off-platform content, including: “Make or Break,” “The Ultimate Surfer,” and the Emmy Award-winning documentary, “24/7: Kelly Slate.”

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Logan is looking forward to returning to the Midwest to reveal how he got his start, as well as the connections between surfing and leadership, he said.

“One of the things that intrigued me about being the keynote [speaker] for Pipeline’s Innovators Gala was the opportunity to come back to my roots in the Midwest and get to share a bit of my journey from being a kid growing up in a landlocked state who couldn’t surf, to now being an avid surfer and CEO of the World Surf League,” Logan said. “That journey has taught me some unique leadership lessons that I hope to share at the Innovators Gala.”

“Erik really embodies what I think Kansas City and our ecosystem is all about: community,” Vincent added. “Individuals at all stages of their career are willing to help each other out, and it’s what makes this region special. … Erik is very down to earth and giving of his time, resources and knowledge. I wanted him to come and showcase that authentic leadership and how someone can run an international organization while also making time for community.”

Melissa Vincent introduces the Pipeline Pathfinder cohort during the 2022 Pipeline Innovators Gala; photo by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News

Along with the keynote speaker, the Innovators Gala programming will showcase the 2023 Pipeline Fellowship class graduation, as well as the Pipeline Pathfinders cohort. 

Click here to check out the full list of the 2023 Pipeline Fellowship class and Pipeline Pathfinders cohort. 

Jason Tatge, co-founder and CEO of Farmobile and now senior Vice President of AGI – Ag Growth International, is presented with the Mike Bosch Entrepreneurial Resilience Award at the 2022 Pipeline Innovators Gala; photo by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News

A handful of awards are set to be presented, including the Mike Bosch Entrepreneurial Resilience Award and Innovator of the Year.

“Mike Bosch was an incredible entrepreneur who brought broadband internet access to rural areas in Kansas. He’s dearly missed,” Vincent said in regard to the late-entrepreneur. “His wife will be giving out the award in his memory.”

Innovator of the Year will be awarded to an entrepreneur from Pipeline’s 2022 fellowship class. The Pipeline Innovator of the Year award is based on three components — performance during the Pipeline year, scores from their retooled business plans post Pipeline impact and presentations given during the Innovators daytime competition event.

Click here to read about the 2022 Pipeline Innovators Gala and check out the awardees.