ICYMI: MTC says it’s moving forward with select entrepreneur programs despite steep state funding cuts
October 14, 2025 | Jake Ciancio
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon.
Click here to read the original story.
The Missouri Technology Corp. has released its annual implementation plan, announcing which programs will continue and which programs will be suspended for the 2026 fiscal year because of a lack of state funding.
The public-private partnership supporting the growth of technology startups in Missouri suspended two programs: the Physical Infrastructure Program, which provides entrepreneurs with physical resources and infrastructure, and the Regional Node Program, which offers funds to invest in regional entrepreneurial support centers. Since the 2023 fiscal year, those two programs have awarded nearly $6.5 million to support Missouri entrepreneurs.
Jack Scatizzi, executive director of the Missouri Technology Corporation, speaks with fellow InvestMidwest attendees in mid-April in Kansas City; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
MTC also is suspending the Research Alliance of Missouri Committee and one of four programs under the Innovation, Development, and Entrepreneurial Advancement Fund, a state-sponsored venture capital program.
“We looked at which programs were core to MTC’s mission,” said Jack Scatizzi, outgoing president and CEO of MTC. “If our mission is to catalyze innovation and support high-growth potential, that’s the best vehicle for us to achieve our mission.”
MTC also will continue its Investor Education Program, a grant program designed to increase the number of early-stage investors in Missouri, and the State Small Business Credit Initiative Program, a federal program that gives money to states to help small businesses get access to capital.
Scatizzi, who announced in August that he will be stepping down at the end of January 2026, said he feels that MTC is in a strong position going forward, even without state funding for this fiscal year.
“We’ve had an impact over the past three years,” Scatizzi said. “We’ve been able to put increased state dollars to work, and it’s delivering an impact.”
To fund its continuing programs, MTC will use its unobligated state funds, reserve funds and federal funds through the State Small Business Credit Initiative Capital Program.
The suspended Physical Infrastructure Program could return in 2027 if state funding returns, Scatizzi said, and MTC plans to evaluate the Regional Nodes Program before deciding on its future.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
As ICE threat scares customers, Kansas City businesses urged to ‘protect people working for you’
Editor’s note: The following story was 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. After a highly publicized raid on a Mexican restaurant in Liberty, Missouri, earlier this month, immigration advocates and attorneys are rushing…
In Good Company: This ‘hidden gem’ offers escape from club chaos, KC’s corporate nightlife
A new East Crossroads venue on McGee offers no clues of what’s inside. The black facade out front features no marquee. No neon lights. It’s the first indication that In Good Company is something different from neighboring Power & Light District hot spots. The goal: Good people. Good drinks. Good vibes. “It’s not a club.…
Protein-packed pallets: Sam’s Club deal pushes SimplyFUEL balls to record production (and Mitzi Dulan is rolling with it)
Juggling more than 50 million protein balls in 2024 is paying off for SimplyFUEL, Mitzi Dulan said, noting production quadrupled during the past year after adding retail giant Sam’s Club to its wholesale lineup. The founder and CEO is already riding that momentum in 2025, she said, teasing another big retailer launch in April. It’s…
Kansas City HR tech startup earns $9M defense contract to help hire skilled workers for nuclear subs
Meeting the U.S. Navy’s aggressive hiring goals requires collaboration across thousands of contractors in all 50 states at a time when America is already experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, said Ray Dick, co-founder of a talent assessment and hiring software platform developed specifically for manufacturing and skilled trades. His Kansas City, Missouri-based company, Piccadilly…