GEWKC returning to familiar venue (but its new destinations might surprise ticket holders)
October 7, 2025 | Tommy Felts
When Global Entrepreneurship Week pulls into the station later this fall, Kansas City participants can expect a fresh experience inside one of the region’s most iconic landmarks, said Callie England, noting an intentional effort behind the scenes should help reroute the “best of the best” events onto custom agendas.
“While you’ll see a few familiar faces, there’s a strong mix of new voices too,” said England, director of Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City for KCSourceLink, which has organized the event since 2008.
Leaders from Brown Suga race to the stage after winning the 2024 AltCap Your Biz competition during GEWKC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
In addition to community sessions across the metro that run throughout the week, the in-person, three-day GEWKC conference at Union Station Kansas City is set for Nov. 18-20 and features a curated selection of back-to-back content every hour with expanded networking opportunities, a growing maker fair, and even a pitch competition.
ICYMI: AltCap Your Biz launches fan favorite vote as GEWKC pitch event nears
“This year marks the first time we implemented blind judging for session selection,” England explained of the planning effort that resulted in the November schedule. “Every submission was scored against a set of criteria, eliminating bias in what gets chosen.”
Organizers are proud to have used the new process to ensure GEWKC is curating sessions entrepreneurs actually want, she added, noting changes were based on feedback heard throughout the year from small business owners.
“Out of more than 200 submissions, only 60 were selected,” England said, emphasizing sessions are led by experts for those who want to start a business or side hustle, scale their operations or elevate their marketing. “So while the schedule can feel full, it’s truly the best of the best. We also addressed past feedback that some sessions felt like sales pitches; this new approach really prioritizes practical, high-value content.”
Registration is now open, and attendees can click here to begin building their schedules.
GEWKC also includes more curated networking time than ever before, England said, with each day now including dedicated breakfast, lunch, and happy hour blocks designed for real connection — “not just ‘eat and listen,’ but ‘eat and make a new connection.’”
“It’s a huge shift toward what we think makes entrepreneurship thrive: community,” she said. “And yes, we’re feeding more people than ever!”
The Maker Fair at GEWKC has also expanded, with 25 small businesses set to be showcased each day at the Union Station base camp.
Nicholas Segura, founder of Segura Marketing, moderates a GEWKC panel conversation about the business impact of the coming World Cup in 2026, alongside Kim Randolph Davis, CEO of the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, David Pruente, senior vice president of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Cici Rojas, CEO of Tico Productions, and Francisco Murguia, owner of Cafe Ollama; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
England stressed the event’s mission to serve as an entry point into Kansas City’s entrepreneur community for anyone hoping to move forward with an idea or in their existing venture. Six to 10 entrepreneur support organizations are expected to be on site for GEWKC, and KCSourceLink will have its six navigators creating action plans for entrepreneurs throughout the day.
“I’d be remiss not to mention our Hispanic Track on Thursday,” England said of the expanded specialty programming day that first debuted in 2024 with sessions offered in Spanish for members of Kansas City’s Latino business community. “We’ve brought even more partners to the table this year and expanded that programming significantly — something our community really asked for and needed.”
Global Entrepreneurship Week is an international celebration that, for the past 18 years, has inspired millions of people to explore their potential as entrepreneurs and connect with their local entrepreneurship communities.
Founded in Kansas City by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 2008, the event has since expanded to more than 180 countries.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Addressing a market gap, $25M seed fund arrives in Kansas City
Nearly a year after identifying an early-stage funding need in the area, a $25 million seed fund will open a Kansas City office that aims to boost local startups. With a Wednesday night intro at Polsinelli, the Royal Street Investment & Innovation Center will soon move into the Kansas City metro for its second fund. Founded…
Mid-America Angels’ injects $2.8M into nine startups during 2015
The Mid-America Angels, a Kansas City area-based angel investor network, closed 2015 on a high note with more than $2.8 million invested in nine ventures. The 2015 investment total is a near-20 percent increase in capital from 2014’s roughly $2.3 million invested. Rick Vaughn, the MAA’s managing director, said last year also was the most…
An insider’s guide to the 2016 Pipeline IOTY
One of the region’s most highly-esteemed and exclusive events — Pipeline’s Innovator of the Year — is set for this Thursday in Kansas City. Attracting some of the most powerful businesspeople in the Midwest, IOTY is one part pitch competition, two parts black-tie gala and four parts party. It’s a cocktail of entrepreneurial energy, and…
Digital Sandbox KC funding three UMKC student-led startups
Kansas City business incubator Digital Sandbox KC selected three student-led companies for proof-of-concept funding support Tuesday. The enterprises were selected from the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s E-Scholar program and will join three other E-Scholar companies selected in June as part of Digital Sandbox’s partnership with UMKC. Each student startup will receive $10,000 in project development…