Popular ScaleUp! KC program welcoming area applicants
September 9, 2015 | Bobby Burch
ScaleUp! Kansas City is now accepting applications from area entrepreneurs that hope to boost their businesses through mentorship and a strong network of peers.
The program, which is now in the midst of its second class, welcomes about 15 businesspeople that aim to push their firm’s revenue past $1 million annually. ScaleUp! KC connects entrepreneurs with mentors, peers and resources to grow their businesses.
Operated by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center, the program’s third cohort will be accepting applications until Nov. 23 and will begin in January.
“We know it’s important to attract and recruit companies to Kansas City, but growing our own [and] helping our homegrown businesses scale is critical to strengthening our economy, creating jobs and improving lives,” said Maria Meyers, director of the UMKC Innovation Center. “ScaleUP! KC wraps vital resources around Kansas City entrepreneurs who already know success and want to build bigger, better businesses right here in Kansas City. We’re energized that so many entrepreneurs — 32 to date — are using the program to strengthen their businesses and to create economic impact.”
ScaleUp! KC director Jill Meyer said that the program has made a significant impact on the entrepreneurs’ businesses since its January 2015 start.
Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery recently received a loan to add a 6,000 square-foot facility to triple its footprint and increase production by more than 300 percent. El Padrino Apparel and Soccer Nation in June won the Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year award.
“It’s been quite impressive to see the progress these companies have made in such a short time,” Meyer said in a release.
To be accepted into the program, entrepreneurs must lead a company that’s at least two-years-old, drive annual sales between $150,000 and $750,000, have a market that can generate more than $1 million in revenue and the determination to exceed that mark.
Click here to learn more about those now in the program.
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Open Doors: Here’s how KCMO plans to turn empty storefronts into a World Cup stage for local talent
Applications are now open for grants of up to $10,000 for businesses and artists who want to activate underutilized or vacant commercial spaces in the downtown area during the coming FIFA World Cup to showcase Kansas City’s entrepreneurial spirit. Funds awarded through the just-detailed Open Doors! Program — crafted through a partnership between the City…
He took over a house-trained side hustle; meow it’s time scale the gourmet catnip brand
Adam Larson might be severely allergic to cats, but he’s following his own advice — pawing away at a gourmet catnip side hustle and toying with the best market fit for the business (and his life). Larson — who also is a network convener for MOSourceLink, the founder Decimal Projects, and a former program coordinator at…
How Main Street Summit is putting homegrown small business on stage with Tim Tebow
COLUMBIA, Missouri — Small businesses don’t stay small on purpose, said Colby Kraus, echoing a mantra popular among organizers of the Main Street Summit — an immersive downtown experience rich with enough Americana capital for entrepreneurs and community builders from all walks of life. Approaching its third year, Main Street Summit is set to return Nov.…
ICYMI: MTC says it’s moving forward with select entrepreneur programs despite steep state funding cuts
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. [divide] The Missouri Technology Corp. has released its annual implementation plan, announcing which programs…