Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Identify, Highlight and Encourage Midwestern Entrepreneurship: Startup Kansas Launches Jan. 31, 2012


WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Back in 2011, Scott Case, CEO of the Startup America Partnership, challenged the Midwest.  The challenge is for Silicon Prairie (Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa) to register more startups with the Startup American Partnership than those that are registered in California.  The challenge has been set to identify, highlight and encourage the entrepreneurs and startups that are building high-growth companies from the ground up right here in the Midwest.  The standings right now?  Silicon Prairie: 57.  California: 247. 

And now, on January 31, 2012 from 1:15-2:00PM, Startup Kansas will officially launch in order to strengthen the Startup Silicon Prairie initiative.  The event takes place at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library and invites entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, small businesses and startup companies to sit in and learn more about the Startup Kansas initiative in the Midwest.  Startup Kansas is also holding its firstplanning meeting on January 11 from 6:00-9:00PM.  At the meeting, the group will discuss the creation of a Topeka coworking space as well.

Initiated by the White House but operated as an independent, private-sector entity, the Startup America Partnership is dedicated to growing more resources for entrepreneurs in the areas of expertise, support services, talent, customers and capital.  The initiative has started with the creation of the Startup Growth Kit, full of tools from Microsoft, American Express and Dell, connections with other entrepreneurs and free marketing and social media services. 

The focus of Startup America is to bring together the private sector to maximize the success of America’s startups and small businesses and to maximize America’s competiveness in an increasingly global world.  With an impressive list of founding board members including Steve Case, Scott Case, Carl J. Schramm, Michael Dell, Tory Burch, Reid Hoffman and Frederick W. Smith, The Startup America Partnership proudly aims to highlight entrepreneurship in and around America. 

“This is the start of a new chapter to promote small business and entrepreneurship in Kansas,” says Matt Gassen, coordinator of the Startup Kansas launch and contestant in the Startup America MasterChallenge*.  “Given the challenges of the economy nationally and locally, anything we can do to keep the positive momentum going is all for the better.” 

To join Startup Kansas, attend the launch event on January 31, 2012 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library from 1:15 until 2:00PM.  Enjoy networking and a number of influential speakers as Kansas and Silicon Prairie accelerate their entrepreneurial drives. 

*The Startup America Master Challenge recognizes leaders who are committed to helping recruit young companies across the nation to join the Startup America Partnership.  To apply for Startup America Partnership and help Matt Gassen become a top influencer, use this unique URL: http://ar.gy/mastermg01

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