Pitching your startup to investors is about more than selling an idea, says Pitch Perfect leader

Perfecting a startup pitch depends on a founder’s ability to move beyond mere product knowledge and talk the investors’ language, said Kathryn Golden. “The reality is investors aren’t buying your product; they’re not customers,” explained Golden, programs director at the Enterprise Center in Johnson County. “Investors are looking at the company and asking, ‘Is this…

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Kauffman, ECJC: Stagnant US entrepreneurship is a diversity issue that throwing money at Big Business won’t fix

Women, people of color, and rural residents remain punished by systemic barriers to starting businesses, said Wendy Guillies in a nationwide call to action that unites powerful Kansas City entrepreneurism advocates.   “America’s economy is out of balance. We’ve got businesses that have become too entrenched and powerful, while people and communities across America are being…

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KCultivator Q&A: Kathryn Golden risks it all to laugh at life (but roommates are no joke)

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. [divide] A spoonful of sugar couldn’t help Kathryn Golden stomach the oddities…

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ECJC unveils new $5M seed fund for regional startups

Kansas City has a new fund targeting Midwest startups. The Enterprise Center in Johnson County is leading a bi-state initiative that’s working to capitalize the $5 million Fountain Innovation Fund. The fund — built by the Midwest Seed Consortium — aims to increase the number and pace of scalable firms by investing in the most…

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