NXTSTAGE taps trio of KC entrepreneurs to help their companies grow revenue, scale
January 25, 2024 | Startland News Staff
WICHITA — Three Kansas City startup founders are among 20 early-stage companies selected for the latest NXTUS program aimed at boosting innovation from within urban and rural areas throughout the state of Kansas.
Joining the 2024 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort: Joy Broils, Hustle & Ground, Shawnee; Mark Lukenbill, Mpruv Sports, Basehor; and Crystal Webster, Sharing Solace, Olathe.
Hustle & Ground and Mpruv Sports previously participated in the 2023 NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series. Mpruv also recently was named one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024.
RELATED: Mpruv Sports swings for greater inclusion in traditional athletics
The NXTSTAGE program, originally launched in 2022 with support from a Build-to-Scale grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, aims to help early-stage Kansas companies break through barriers to generate revenue and identify scalable offerings for their young companies. It has graduated more than 30 startups to date.
The 2024 cohort includes entrepreneurs offering unique healthcare solutions, business operations and individual well-being technology tools, a spin on traditional services, innovative experience and product-based solutions with robust e-commerce capabilities, and sustainable apparel for today’s generation of shoppers.
Click here to learn more about the 20 companies in the 2024 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort.
2024 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction cohort; photo courtesy of NXTUS
For the second year, NetWork Kansas is supporting the program, enabling NXTUS to serve even more Kansas entrepreneurs in rural and urban areas often underserved by startup programs.
“As we proudly enter our third year of empowering Kansas entrepreneurs through the NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort, I am thrilled about the positive impact these innovative companies will have on economic development in Kansas,” said Amber Dunn, NXTUS Program Manager. “The diverse and dynamic group reflects the spirit of entrepreneurship in our state, and we’re honored to be a part of their continued growth and success.”
Through the program, the cohort will benefit from in-depth, personalized, 1:1 coaching provided by a national coaching partner, focusing on product-market fit and customer acquisition strategies. Additionally, participants will cultivate new connections and establish a supportive community with fellow founders through engaging in in-person workshops. Complementing these interactions, the cohort will also receive ongoing professional pitch coaching and mentorship.
In addition to NetWork Kansas and the Build to Scale grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded to ICT Entrepreneurship Coalition members Wichita State University and NXTUS, the program is supported by the Greater Wichita Partnership, Capacity, the City of Wichita, Sedgwick County, and Wichita Shredding.
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Cassie Taylor is just getting queerer and weirder (and thanks to a wild 72 hours, she’s now a Playboy Bunny)
Be your authentic self, said Cassie Taylor, even if that means losing people along the way. “The biggest thing I’ve learned in the music industry is that if you’re not authentic, it is not sustainable — you’ll burn out fast. During the pandemic, I lost a lot of friends because I was very vocal about…
Pitch contest winners salute PHKC as fourth cohort wraps; $15K in prizes awarded to small businesses
A winning night at The Porter House KC’s pitch event this week expands opportunity for more than just the company taking home the biggest check, said Taylor Burris. AI Hub — led by Burris and her husband, James Spikes — earned first place and $8,000 in the competition, which also marked the completion of PHKC’s…
KCRise Fund closes $34M Fund III with ‘hyper-local’ focus; Here are its first four investments
A third venture capital fund — expected to invest $34 million in 20 more tech startups across the Kansas City region — builds on KCRise Fund’s thesis that high-growth local companies are the key to investor success, said Ed Frindt. It’s a competitive advantage that swells with each wave of funding, he added, announcing the…
These makers and vendors aren’t buying the scarcity mindset: ‘There’s a way for us all to eat’
A new vendor fair aims to unite people from all corners of the city and promote collaboration among the local vendor community, said entrepreneur and event organizer Dontavious Young. “I see a lot of events in Kansas City that are geared toward a specific type of crowd, or a specific type of culture, or a…