GEWKC returning to familiar venue (but its new destinations might surprise ticket holders)

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.

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“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.

ICYMI: KCSourceLink expands bilingual entrepreneur-focused support, adding two more Community Navigators

“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.”

From the archives: GEWKC adds full day of Spanish programming to serve growing community of entrepreneurs

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.