Koch Industries, an innovator in its own right, is presenting the third Wichita Startup Week beginning Monday.
The event, which started in 2021, is being produced in collaboration with Techstars — a global network devoted to aiding entrepreneurs. Last year, more than 700 people attended the free conference.
Wichita Startup Week will take place from Nov. 13-17 at Groover Labs, 334 N. St. Francis. There are two opening events, starting at 4 p.m. Monday. One features a workshop for young self-starters, which includes a commercial/elevator pitch competition. The other event is a resource expo and kickoff party at Wave, 650 E. 2nd St., focusing on connections and resources. Although the conference is free, registration is mandatory.
Presentations, which include workshops, discussions, keynote addresses and hands-on activities like elevator speeches, aim to help individuals and companies learn how to start and run a financially-soluble business. Attendees will learn about intellectual property, biomedical innovation and using a customer-centric approach to running a startup. Organizers of the event say Wichita Startup Week helps transform business ideas into concrete startups.
From people with startup ideas to fully-operational businesses, all are welcome to attend. Dependent on what the startup or individual is doing, there are tracks available. It includes a special track for youth, as well as a toolkit, innovation, social entrepreneurial spirit and diversity, equity and inclusion track.
Some of the presenters include Sameer Kenkare, who leads the Corporate VC and Innovation group at Amazon Web Services Startups; Scott Redler of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers; Sierra Bonn, founder of Let’s Go Full STEAM Ahead; and Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce chair Joy Eakins, president of Cornerstone Data Inc.
Kenkare, Redler and others will lead presentations Nov. 15. Attendees can also go to the Cargill campus at 825 E. Douglas Ave. to celebrate with NXTUS and the 20 Kansas early-stage startups who recently completed the NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series.
Techstars, which is helping to produce the event, connects startups, investors, corporations and cities to help build thriving startup communities. The global organization has invested in more than 2,500 companies with a combined market cap of more than $200 billion.
Along with a day full of workshops and speakers, Nov. 16 ends with a networking event – the Startup Mashup Meetup at the downtown Ruffin Building.
