Meet LaunchKC’s latest crew of social changemakers; cohort excited for connectivity 

Seven Kansas City social ventures are expected to get a boost from LaunchKC’s latest cohort — with entrepreneurs already eager for the human support and resources offered by the popular venture studio program.

Clint Velazquez, Base Academy of Music (BAM), presents his organization at a launch event for LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“I’ve had an opportunity to interact with some of the previous participants and mentors, so I know the value of an organization like this where you’re getting peer learning and mentorship,” said Clint Velazquez, whose organization, Base Academy of Music (BAM), was selected for the cohort.

Through the private music lesson format, students at BAM develop relationships with caring mentors, dive deep into learning, and come regularly to a place where joy is emphasized, celebrated, and prioritized.

The Social Venture Studio model aims to support social entrepreneurs like Velazquez who are seeking to provide both social impact and return on investment, helping the unconventional ventures buck traditional funding models to achieve longer-term success.

Click here to learn more about LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio.

“My organization is about to make a big pivot, and we hope that pivot will lead us toward self-sustaining sustainability,” Velazquez said. “As a nonprofit, we’ve always been limited to our fundraising ability, and there’s always more students who need music lessons. For us to be able to fund those music lessons without having to divert our attention to the fundraising space is really exciting.”

Jim Erickson, EDCKC, watches pitches from the crowd at a launch event for LaunchKC's Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Cohort members cheer on fellow social entrepreneurs at a launch event for LaunchKC's Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

LaunchKC, an initiative of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC) and the Downtown Council (DTC), announced the Social Venture Studio’s third cohort Wednesday at the Keystone Innovation District.

Click here to read about the previous Social Venture Studio cohort.

“Social Venture Studio exemplifies the innovative spirit of our community, addressing critical social challenges through sustainable business practices that stimulate job growth and regional investment. It is our privilege to support the vision and efforts of these pioneering entrepreneurs.” said Jim Erickson, director of strategic initiatives for EDCKC. 

The seven selected companies will participate in a four-month program receiving professional support, a grant award, temporary office space, mentoring and network connections to strengthen their social venture business concepts. A culmination event in the fall will be a chance for the companies to reveal their pitches to potential funders and supporters. 

Jacob Canyon Robinson, Good Oak, presents his organization at a launch event for LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

In addition to Base Academy of Music, cohort members include:

• Civic Saint, Godfrey Riddle – Civic Saint sustainably creates artful, affordable homes using compressed earthen blocks (CEBs) for revitalization and wealth creation in redlined areas. 

• CoBuild, Tate Williams – CoBuild is a residential construction employment social enterprise providing sustainable employment and trade skills training for young people while simultaneously building housing supply, including affordable housing for non-profit clients. 

• Connectivities, Mandy Shoemaker – Connectivities creates ready to go, hands-on learning kits specifically designed for teaching social skills and special education. 

• Good Oak, Jacob Canyon Robinson – Good Oak builds farms that promote biodiversity and rich soil, restoring ecosystems on public and private lands and teaching regenerative agriculture practices. 

• Integrity Capital Management, Terrell Jolley – Integrity Capital Management provides more than just housing; it aims to offer comprehensive support and services, ensuring residents not only have a place to live but a supportive environment in which they can thrive. 

• Storytailor, JQ Sirls and Herston Fails – Storytailor provides AI-powered, personalized storytelling for children aged 3-8, offering customizable stories that cater to individual preferences and developmental needs. 

Godfrey Riddle, Civic Saint, presents his organization at a launch event for LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

The Social Venture Studio connects business solutions rooted in solving social, environmental or racial issues, with the firepower necessary to thrive, according to the organization.

Civic Saint’s Riddle is looking forward to the connectivity fueled by LaunchKC, he said.

“I see an immediate connection with everyone who was announced as part of the cohort — people who helped bring something to life that wasn’t there before or that can grow even more than it is now,” Riddle said. “It’s an amazing chance to do business with these people, but also to grow with them in a personal relationship.”

“What you endure as a business owner gives you a different perspective,” he added.

RELATED: Godfrey Riddle wants to build you a home; How Civic Saint’s eco-friendly bricks could reshape the foundation of affordable housing

Programming is led by the Keystone Innovation District, with consulting from Jacqueline Erickson Russell, founder and CEO of Social Impact Advisory Group. Cohort members receive guidance, mentorship, funding, and network connections to strengthen their concepts and plans.

Shoemaker is focused on building something from scratch with Connectivities, she said, noting it’s the latest in a string of businesses she’s steered.

Mandy Shoemaker, Connectivities, presents her organization at a launch event for LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“Creating something novel and new — launching it rather than replicating a service or something that’s been done before — is really exciting,” Shoemaker said. “I love being exposed to the network; I already feel like there’s so much energy here.”

Now in its third year, the program has graduated fourteen companies from its previous two cohorts and received the IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Award for work in promoting economic equity and inclusion in 2022.

The Social Venture Studio is made possible thanks to funding from The Sunderland Foundation.