There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you.
Weekly Events Preview
Smart Companies to Watch
When: Dec. 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Downtown Marriott
Thinking Bigger is turning a spotlight on some of the city’s most innovative and forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Meet them as you enjoy hors d’oeuvres, including a carving station, drinks and mingling in the festively decorated Historic Muehlebach Lobby.
KC Roundtable Breakfast
When: Dec. 8, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Where: Eggtc
KC Roundtable is in existence to provide 20 and 30-something Kansas City entrepreneurs with a group of peers to support and collaborate on each others’ businesses. Our mission is to: – Focus on relationship building; not lead generating – Facilitate collaboration, openness, transparency, learning and teaching – Establish an entrepreneurial network – Fill the void of not having the water cooler.
We meet for breakfast and various locations around the city. In addition to our morning meetings, KC Roundtable provides additional opportunities to network with young entrepreneurs such as events like small group Mastermind sessions & After Hour events.
Prospective members are self-motivated, curious, open to learning and currently starting a new business. Thanks for checking us out. We look forward to meeting you soon!
First Annual State of Digital Inclusion Breakfast
When: Dec. 8, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Where: Linwood Presbyterian Church
Join us for our first annual report card event, where you’ll hear from Kansas City leaders on the impact of Digital Literacy on education, careers, and essential citizenship skills.
Featured panelists include:
Dr. Mark Bedell, Superintendent, KC Public Schools
Chris Hernandez, Communications Director, City of KCMO
Clyde McQueen, Executive Director, KC Full Employment Council
Carole Malotte, Director, AARP Foundation SCSEP
Host: Tom Esselman, CEO, Connecting For Good.
Tickets:
Table Sponsor (10 Seats): $1000.00
Individual Tickets: $100.00
(100% of proceeds will support 2017 training and programs)
The Capital Series: Reading Term Sheets & Structuring a Deal
When: Dec. 8, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson County
You walk into the room, you give your big pitch, the investors applaud and hand you a check, right? Wrong. Getting the details of your deal right after the pitch are an essential piece of the investment process. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the terms and conditions commonly used and the structure angel investors prefer when funding early stage entrepreneurs. With presentations from Rick Vaughn, Mid-America Angels.
Second Fridays at Village Square
When: Dec. 9, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Village Square Coworking Studio
Second Fridays is a casual, fun gathering for the startup community to connect on a monthly basis with no agenda except good times. We’ll provide games and cards. This event is BYOB with a twist – bring a 6-pack of your favorite beer to share and we’re going to have a “beer potluck” cooler. We’d also encourage you to bring an instrument if you play. What better way to end your week than with a jam session?! Feel free to stop by anytime after 4:30 p.m.
Build A Website Workshop
When: Dec. 9 and 10, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: Spider Oak Offices, Suite 324
Build a fully hosted, completely functional website for your business, nonprofit, or social group! We’ll walk you through step by step how to register, host, build, customize, publish, and get the most out of your very own website. 12 hours of intense learning and development to build out your own website quickly! You don’t need to know anything about coding, and you won’t have to code anything (unless you really want to). You will need to own and bring a laptop, be able to check your e-mail regularly (there will be some easy homework / pre-requirements for you to complete before the event). We will teach you the basics of everything you need to know to be successful building and maintaining your own website.
Innovation Partnership Program Demo Day
When: Dec. 13, 5:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m.
Where: Sprint Accelerator
You’re invited to join Mayor James & City Manager Troy Schulte for Kansas City’s inaugural Innovation Partnership Program Demo Day. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear lightning presentations by the seven partners selected in 2016 to pilot a service within City Hall!
Poe Man’s Challenge
When: Dec. 13, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Think Big Coworking
Poe Man’s Challenge is an event that bridges at-risk youth and tech entrepreneurs in a competition to see which team can present their company the best in a “Shark Tank”-like setting. A number of Dontari’s teammates will be there, along with a Harlem Globetrotter and various tech luminaries.
KC Roundtable Annual Holiday Party
When: Dec. 13, 6:00 p.m.
Where: No Other Pub
Come celebrate the end of a great year and celebrate the holidays with KC Roundtable’s Annual Holiday Party/Happy Hour. No need for tickets, but please RSVP so we can give No Other Pub a headcount!
Ongoing events
Don’t miss out on the events that happen every week at the same time, in the same place.
Code for America Hack Night
Mondays from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Sprint Accelerator
Coworking Wednesdays
Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Sprint Accelerator
Hammerspace Open House
Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Hammerspace
1 Million Cups
Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at Kauffman Foundation, Lawrence and KC Live Stream
Looking ahead
Innovation Exchange
When: Dec. 14, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Think Big Coworking
Rarely are all the facts of breaking news included in the stories we read. From the coincidences that led to a business deal to the personal challenges along the way, there’s often a fascinating patchwork of details that remain in reporters’ notebooks. Think of Innovation Exchange as a chance to open a news organization’s notepad for a view into its sources’ rich backstories. Startland News editor Bobby Burch will explore breaking news in Kansas City entrepreneurship via a fireside chat with the newsmakers that catalyzed the headlines. This month, Bobby will be talking with Kauffman’s vice president of entrepreneurship Victor Hwang, KCK’s Chief Knowledge Officer Alan Howze and KCMO’s innovation analyst Kate Garmen.
TechrIoT KC: An Internet of Things community
When: Dec. 14, 7:00 p.m.
Where: IBM
TechrIoT is a Kansas City-based community of Internet of Things (IoT) entrepreneurs, executives, manufacturers, investors, engineers, suppliers and academics. Together, we’re collaborating to enhance speed to market for innovative new IoT products and services and convening Kansas City’s ecosystem of resources for ground-breaking companies.