Tech entrepreneurs ready to pitch for $50,000 LaunchKC grants

Following months of preparations, 20 tech entrepreneurs are preparing to step into the limelight on Friday to make their pitches at the second, annual Techweek Kansas City conference at Union Station.

The startups are finalists in the second annual LaunchKC global grants competition. They will take center stage at Techweek from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, as they make their $50K pitches to LaunchKC judges and the Techweek audience. Once all 20 have made their presentations, the judges will break for three hours to review, score and determine which 10 will be announced as grant recipients in a ceremony at 3 p.m.

“We expect Friday morning to showcase the best of the best,” said Drew Solomon, Vice President of Business and Job Development at the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Kansas City, Missouri and leader of the grants competition for LaunchKC. “These may be startup or early stage businessmen and women, but they will need to demonstrate cool, confidence, clarity and passion to win the day.”

The 20 finalists were selected from a pool of more than 400 contenders, who applied to LaunchKC during a 90-day application window that closed in early July. A panel of nearly 50 local business volunteered their time over five weeks to thoughtfully review each application multiple times and narrow the field – from 19 states and seven nations –  to the 20 finalists who are preparing their final pitches on Friday morning.

While the class of 2016 finalists was revealed on Aug. 25, Solomon explained that two of the original top 20 selections have since changed. Two had to drop out because they were unable to be in Kansas City this week to compete at Techweek Kansas City, as is required in the competition rules, Solomon explained.\

They were replaced late last week by the next two highest rated semi-finalists, LaborChart from Overland Park, KS, and SeudoSkull from Kansas City, KS.

The finalists include 12 from the bi-state metropolitan area, seven from other U.S. states, and one international applicant from Austria. They will be in KC later this week to compete for one of 10 grand prizes, including a $50,000 grant; 12 months of free office space in the heart of Downtown; and professional mentoring support – that will be awarded to the top 10 at Techweek Kansas City, on Friday, Sept. 16.

“This is an outstanding group of finalists. We were looking for the best and brightest applicants for the LaunchKC competition, and we were not disappointed,” Solomon said. “They exceeded our already high expectations.”

The 20 finalists for the LaunchKC grants competition include:

LaunchKC is a global grants competition designed to attract tech entrepreneurs to build their new and emerging tech businesses in Downtown Kansas City. It is an initiative of the Downtown Council (DTC) of Kansas City, Missouri, working in collaboration with the EDC. This is the second year for the LaunchKC grants competition.

Special thanks to LaunchKC sponsors

 Visionaries

  • Missouri Technology Corporation
  • City of Kansas City, Missouri
  • William T. Kemper Foundation
  • Kansas City Power and Light District
  • UMB Bank
  • Techweek

 Founders

  • DSI; Google Fiber; Husch Blackwell; Kansas City Power & Light; Lead Bank

Champions

  • J.E. Dunn Construction; Lathrop & Gage; Polsinelli

Official Hotel of LaunchKC

  • Kansas City Marriott Downtown, 200 W. 12th St.

 

 

 

 

LaunchKC.org * @Launch_KC * Techweek.com/KansasCity

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