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.
Are you hosting a relevant community event? Feel free to add it to the FWD/KC calendar for increased exposure. Once your event is submitted, it will quickly get reviewed and then published to the calendar.
TechHire KC – Tech Sector Meetup at Think Big
When: May 10, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Think Big Partners
Find out how the TechHire initiative can impact your organization, how you can participate with subsidized placements, and discover how you can influence programming, training and curriculum to better meet your workforce needs. During these meetups, we will explore those topics and dive deeper into the region’s 5-year outlook, sector best practices, labor trends, and curriculum/instructional design in I.T. in Kansas City.
This meetup is for tech-sector employers looking to hire or shape the workforce pipeline. All events take place from 12-1:30 (lunch provided) at Think Big Partners, 1712 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Meeting Rooms B-C-D.
Think Big Partners serves as the Tech Sector Intermediary on behalf of FEC and the TechHire initiative in Kansas City.
About TechHire
TechHire is recoding the American economy by helping employers find outstanding tech talent, and overlooked job seekers get the training and connections they need to start successful technical careers.
TechHire Kansas City
In one of the original communities to join the President’s TechHire initiative, the Full Employment Council’s Greater Kansas City Technology Career Collaboration (GKCTCC) will help train 2,000 participants, including young adults facing barriers to employment such as disabilities and criminal records and workers currently in low-wage jobs. Training will focus on four high-growth industries: (1) IT, (2) healthcare, (3) advanced manufacturing, and (4) financial services. Working with Think Big, Full Employment Council, the National Machining and Tooling Association, and Missouri/Kansas Hospital Association, GKCTCC will identify the skills to succeed in each industry and work with training providers to customize curricula to help prepare participants for well-paying jobs.
KC Roundtable Breakfast
When: May 11, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Where: Eggct
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!
Pitching to Investors
When: May 11, 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: UMKC SBTDC
Learn about what investors need to know and want to see before making an investment in a start-up. Presented by Michele Weigand, Managing Partner of Focused Perspective with over 27 years of Finance and Business Development experience. Michele was the former Chief Investment Officer for KTEC and managed investments for GE Mortgage and GE Reinsurance.
UMKC School of Computing and Engineering Tech Talk With John Carmack
When: May 12, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Jeannette Nichols Forum, located on the first floor of the UMKC Miller Nichols Library Learning Center
The University of Missouri-Kansas City is set to host technology pioneer John Carmack on Friday, May 12 for a Tech Talk event hosted by the School of Computing and Engineering (SCE). The event will take place from 4 – 5 p.m. in the Jeannette Nichols Forum, located on the first floor of the UMKC Miller Nichols Library Learning Center, 800 E 51st St., Kansas City.
Carmack, co-founder of id Software, is a renowned leader in technology development who has altered the landscape of multiple industries. He has pioneered the adoption of several computer graphic techniques widely used today and has led the development of many of the pillars of today’s gaming industry.
Carmack will discuss systems engineering using examples from virtual reality during the May 12 Tech Talk. The event is free and open to the public. The discussion will begin at 4 p.m. and a meet-and-greet will be held immediately following at 5 p.m. RSVP is required for space accommodations.
Second Fridays
When: May 12, 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Village Square Coworking Studio
Come to Second Fridays at 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 & cards (bags if it’s nice). 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’ll ice down everyone’s beer and have quite the selection to choose from!get to know someone over a brew!
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 4:30pm. We’ll hang out until everyone leaves (unless it gets ridiculous).
No RSVP necessary, just come on by!
Ongoing events
Don’t miss out on the events that happen every week at the same time, in the same place.
Code for KC Hack Night
Mondays from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 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
How2: Create your Business Model Canvas
When: May 17, 11:30 a.m. –1:30 p.m.
Where: UMKC SBTDC
Do you have a business that needs direction but don’t know How2 develop the right plan? Gain an in-depth understanding of the process of Business Model Canvas plus, learn How2 apply these proven principles in your business.
The How2 Create Your Business Model Canvas is based on the Lean Canvas principles of Ash Maurya and Steve Block. The active participation format of this workshop prepares participants to walk out with a Business Model Canvas you can start using immediately.
Third Thursday KCedu and Lean Lab Happy Hour
When: May 18, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: EduHub
Join #KCedu and the Lean Lab at EduHub, a co-working space for education and youth-related startups. Network with genius educators, business partners, and other interested folks as you eat and drink, learn and collide!
When you arrive, grab a snack and check out the whiteboard where participants create the schedule on the fly! Want to share something? Want to get feedback from others on a topic? In addition to the featured guests, as an attendee, you can throw your idea up in one of the squares for small group breakout conversations. For example:
Want to talk about technology in education, apps, gamificatoin or how to make it relevant to kids?
Want to talk family-community engagement in schools and in KC?
Want to plan a city-wide project to bring KC together, led by kids?
Looking for some interested parties to co-write a grant? EdHub has several offices for us to spread out and share/discuss.
After introductions of any featured guests at 6pm, we go into an Edcamp/Unconference format in two fast-paced, 20 minute breakout sessions. Stay in one group or sample more than one discussion. We come back together as a group at 7:00 for final announcements and then continue conversations at EduHub or at a nearby establishment.
This format is about active small group networking and relationship building, not passive listening. CHOICE and VOICE! You’ll be happy you plugged into KC’s vibrant educator network.
