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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