The 2016 LaunchKC grant competition application window officially closed on July 6th and the applicants’ fate now rests in the hands of a panel of judges. An outstanding selection of strong, qualified applications was received and we are now sifting through them in order to find the best of the best 20 applicants to pitch in September during Techweek KC.
What are they pitching for? $50,000 in cash, mentoring from leadership from some of Kansas City’s legendary companies, free office space for one year, and many other professional benefits geared toward helping startups grow and succeed in Kansas City.
“This year’s competition attracted a diverse group of applicants, many of them already up and coming tech entrepreneurs who are looking to bring their startups to downtown Kansas City,“ said Mike Hurd, Director of Marketing for the Downtown Council and LaunchKC.
LaunchKC exceeded its goal for applicants, topping 400 for the second consecutive year. Overall, the quality and preparedness of the applicants are significantly stronger than the first competition last year. We are excited to see so many people willing to take the leap into entrepreneurship in order to bring new technologies to life! We know you are the future job creators and we want to support you in your efforts to continue growing our “Smart” city.
The LaunchKC grant competition was Initiated in 2015 by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO, and the Downtown Council of Kansas City and is open to anyone around the world with a startup or early stage tech business.
Hurd said the competition’s goal is to find, and reward, focused, well-rounded companies with strong, thoughtful ideas.
“We started the competition to attract the best and brightest entrepreneurs to Kansas City, MO,” said Hurd. “We want to provide them with incentives and tools to give them a leg-up in building the business of their dreams here. Our focus is on identifying tech-powered businesses poised for sustainable growth and a long-term future in our city.”
LaunchKC’s objective has always been to drive economic growth in Kansas City by supporting tech entrepreneurs as they work to create high paying jobs, drive revenues, and hopefully stay and grow their businesses in Kansas City.
“When the finalists stand before the judges and audience in September, we want them to articulate why and how they are prepared to build strong and sustainable businesses in Kansas City,” said Hurd. “We are not only in search of tomorrow’s business leaders, we are also looking for the next Cerner or Garmin to call Kansas City home.”
The 20 finalists will pitch at Union Station during Techweek KC (Sept. 12-18) and the 10 grant winners will be announced on Friday afternoon, Sept. 16.
“Last year, Techweek was a great success and we look to build on that in 2016 in terms of increased attendance, events and quality of content,” said Drew Solomon, the EDC’s Senior Vice President of Business and Job Development. “Techweek provides an environment to celebrate our success, hear from thought leaders on topics in technology and entrepreneurship, and convene the community to speak about what it will take to continue to grow in a competitive global landscape.”
Now in its second year, LaunchKC and the grant competition have continued to evolve.
“LaunchKC, like the entrepreneurs we attract to Kansas City, is a startup organization that is learning, evolving, and growing every day,” said Hurd. “We began in 2014 with a mission to elevate Kansas City’s brand as an innovation center and serve as an engine for recruiting tech talent from across the country and we believe we’re contributing to great improvement in both areas.”
To learn more about the LaunchKC grant competition, please visit LaunchKC’s website
To buy tickets and learn more about Techweek KC, please visit Techweek’s website