Competition opening its call for startups to pitch at UMKC (founders who’ve finished growing need not apply)
January 28, 2025 | Tommy Felts
UMKC’s support for entrepreneurship doesn’t stop at the edge of campus, said Adam Larson, detailing plans for another startup competition between established Kansas City companies during this spring’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge.
Adam Larson, Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, UMKC
Non-student-led companies with headquarters in Kansas City are eligible to compete in the James and Rae Block Kansas City Startup Awards. Applications open Monday, Feb. 3.
Click here to view full eligibility requirements and additional details about the April 25 event, which coincides with a showcase and competition for student ventures.
“By showcasing community startups alongside student ventures, we provide a tangible example of the entrepreneurial journey and the potential for growth in early-stage companies,” said Larson, program manager for Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which organizes the annual RVCC competitions. “This serves as an aspirational model for student entrepreneurs, whether they’re continuing with their RVCC venture after graduation or launching something entirely new.”
Serial entrepreneur Dr. Shelley Cooper’s startup, Remodel Relief, took home the $15,000 top prize in 2024; followed by recognition’s for Dr. Brandy Archie, AskSAMIE, and Bob Waddell, MDMatchUp.
Click here for a full list of winners through 2018.
Dr. Brandy Archie, AskSAMIE, Dr. Shelley Cooper, Remodel Relief, and Ashley McClellan, MedCurate, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
The Regnier Venture Creation Challenge and Summit celebrates entrepreneurship across Kansas City and the broader region, Larson said, noting the Regnier Institute is dedicated to supporting and recognizing the hard work of entrepreneurs at all stages — from concept to scale.
“As a regional hub for entrepreneurship education, we’re uniquely positioned to spotlight local startups and their successes,” he added.
“Our community startups and our student startups are often at similar places in their journey. Our students have a large amount of support and resources from the university but often lack the industry experience,” Larson continued. “Our community entrepreneurs often have more industry experience but lack all the resources a UMKC student has access to.”
UMKC offers a number of resources for entrepreneurs in the community in addition to RVCC, including the E-Scholars program and a weekly entrepreneurship meetup, Innovators Hub.
“All entrepreneurs are doing their best to make progress without all the resources, money, and experience of a major corporation and they all have to be scrappy and innovative to make progress,” Larson said. “Entrepreneurs aren’t a special breed of superheroes; they are regular people that are going on an extraordinary journey. It’s important for young, aspiring entrepreneurs to see that.
In addition to the competition aspect of this spring’s RVCC on April 25, a summit component is planned, featuring an entrepreneurship and innovation career fair, prototyping and startup workshops, keynote sessions, and free food with registration.
Click here for more information on RVCC and the summit.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC Bier Co. brewing regional expansion one tap handle at a time, founder says
Rapid growth in the craft brewing market has tapped out, said Steve Holle, founder of KC Bier Co. A solid understanding of the reasons behind such an overdraught industry has so-far saved the Kansas City-based, German-style brewing company from being caught in the same weeds as recently closed Manhattan-brewed competitor, Tallgrass Brewing Co., Holle said.…
Former school principal’s SafeDefend active shooter system installed at Jewish Community Center, target of 2014 Overland Park shootings
Every student, teacher and staff member deserves the greatest opportunity to get home from school safely, said Jeff Green, founder of SafeDefend. Green’s security solution — an active shooter response system that sends alerts throughout a school community, as well as detailed information to law enforcement, within seconds of an incident — recently was installed…
H&R Block must reconnect with startup energy, innovation, CEO Jeff Jones says
Jeff Jones’ journey to Kansas City — winding through hangouts with popstar Justin Timberlake, dinner with Oprah, and a stint driving one of the world’s most dominant sharing economy companies — has been transformative, the H&R Block CEO said. And if the homegrown corporate juggernaut he now leads is to meet its stretch potential, the…
From Cake to Google: Musician-turned-tech leader composes career between keyboards
Well into a music career — but noticing friends who were still trying to find gigs to make ends meet — Ben Morss faced a life-altering pivot. “I got sick of it and I turned to programming full time,” said Morss, a developer advocate at Google. “As a musician, I was trying to call people…