Innovation center, investor hub set to open this month on Liberty campus, thanks to family’s gift
October 11, 2023 | Startland News Staff
LIBERTY, Missouri — A significant financial gift to William Jewell College from a family of alumni is expected to fund a new innovation center opening on campus this month. The space is expected to serve as an investor hub and flexible workspace for Kansas City entrepreneurs.
The Mathes Innovation Center — made possible by the gift from alumni Mark and Karen Mathes and Jared and Mary Mathes of Liberty, as well as the entire Mathes Family — aims to students and local founders from the moment of their business proposal through the investment process, according to the college.
Members will gain business and technological acumen while immersed in Jewell’s culture of critical thought and inquiry, a press release said. Center staff will curate interested investors on behalf of the Mathes Innovation Centers’ members to create a true one stop shop.
Financial details of the gift were not disclosed.
“There are many great ideas that never come to fruition due to the lack of infrastructure and assistance provided to the entrepreneur,” said Jared Mathes. “The Center is an opportunity for students and business founders to test ideas and present them to all investor classes, pivoting from the more traditional investment style.”
An indispensable service of the Mathes Innovation Center is close collaboration with identified investors that will vet and present opportunities for funding, according to the college. For Jewell students, this means mentorship in launching a business that will generate profit to help fund their education.
Click here to begin exploring the Mathes Innovation Center.
Mathes Innovation Center at William Jewell
In addition to Jewell students and staff, the Center is open to area community members, entrepreneurs, innovators and current small business owners. Other offerings of the Center will include events, programs, ideation, business plan competitions, coaching, networking, curriculum, funding options and more to foster innovation and business development.
“Our goal with this Innovation Center is to not only teach business to our students but to create an environment where collaboration and innovation allow our students to live business as they learn,” said Mark Mathes. “By developing their entrepreneurial skills at the Innovation Center, many of these students will graduate into a job with a company they have already founded and own. We believe this approach will make us unique among the Innovation Centers throughout higher education nationwide.”
The Mathes Innovation Center — housed at 17 S. Jewell Street in the Pryor Center for Leadership Development — is also available as a flexible workspace solution for entrepreneurs and small businesses, offering rental options that range from co-working spaces, event spaces for small business gatherings and long-term leases for those looking for a more permanent home for their enterprise.
Featured Business
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
White Castle invented sliders (and the playbook for fast food); then the Kansas-fried chain vanished from its home state
Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. For more stories like this one, subscribe to A People’s History of Kansas City on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. The White Castle chain began in 1921…
DevStride founder finds himself ‘locking arms with frontline customers’ in bid to catch their mistakes early
Implementing and monitoring complex software cycles is a tedious process, Phil Reynolds said, which is why he and his team are working to drive better project management principles and improve outcomes through their software solution. “We are really trying to transform the way that teams go about implementing and managing agile software development cycles. Our…
Deep Rooted plants new store at busy Troost shopping hub; Here’s how the streetwear brand is growing
A Kansas City streetwear brand is extending its roots on the city’s east side, said owner Donnell Jamison. Deep Rooted — which Jamison launched in 2018 out of the trunk of his car — has a new home in the shopping center at Troost Avenue and Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard. “We just want to be that…
‘More than a thrift store’: Goodwill’s efforts to close digital divide sell an expanded mission — upskilling workers
Editor’s note: The following is the first in a series of stories focused on digital inclusion efforts in Kansas City, and is presented by Google Fiber. Ron Carr’s retirement made him restless, he shared. Wanting to be a valuable player in Kansas City’s economy once again, Carr enrolled in Goodwill’s Digital Skills Training program. “With…