KC Startup Crawl Returns as Part of 1Week KC

When you peel back the thick layer of barbecue and jazz that covers Kansas City, you’ll find a city bustling with entrepreneurs and their startup companies.  The entrepreneurship community in Kansas City is strong and quickly growing. So much so that it’s difficult to keep track with who is doing what and where.

Luckily, back in February, a solution to that issue was created: KC Startup Crawl--a one-night tour of Kansas City’s budding companies and entrepreneurial resources. Now Startup Crawl is back in version 2.0!  This time around, KC Startup Crawl will take place on Friday June 28, 2013 as a part of 1Week KC.

1Week KC is a six-day entrepreneurial celebration in which entrepreneurs can come together, get inspired, learn and connect, all the while fostering the goal of making Kansas City America’s most entrepreneurial city.  1Week KC will take place June 25-30, 2013.

Think Big is hosting two events during 1Week KC.  The first is our involvement in Startup Crawl 2.0!  We are joining Google Fiber, The Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City Startup Village and others to once again be a stop on the crawl.  Don’t be shy!  Stop by Think Big during Startup Crawl to learn about our amazing startups and network with some successful Kansas City entrepreneurs. 

KC Startup Crawl 2.0 organizers ask that all attendees sign up for the free event so that they are able to provide sufficient amount of beverages and transportation. And though it may be sad that the crawl ends at 9pm, there is an after party immediately after!   

Our second event during 1Week KC is through a partnership with the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and fellow entrepreneurs in Kansas City. It’s no secret that we love waffles, so just as in past years we will be hosting Startup Waffles on Friday, June 28 at our coworking loft! 

Cancel your appointments, call the baby sitter, take off work early and join us on Friday, June 28^th for KC Startup Crawl 2.0 and Startup Waffles!  See you then. 

Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Gear Up for the 2nd Annual iKC Conference

First there was Think Big Kansas City.  Then came The Gigabit Challenge.  Then came iKC.  And now, Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce are excited to announce the next event all about innovation and entrepreneurship—the 2^nd annual iKC conference!

iKC 2012 was one for the books.  The event brought in some of the region’s great innovators, entrepreneurs, startups and corporations together for a day of inspiration and innovation. 

iKC 2013 will be no different.  Get ready to set your creativity, your motivation and your entrepreneurial thinking ablaze for the second year in a row!  The 2^nd annual iKC conference will be hosted in Kansas City in June of 2013. 

More announcements about the upcoming iKC 2013 will be out soon...stay tuned.    

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

What is Going on with Google Fiber (For Real)?

As we all know, Kansas City is on a mission to become the most entrepreneurial city in America. Why not start with lightning-fast internet from Google? 1,100 cities in the US applied and Google chose Kansas City to launch Google Fiber! The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City hosted an event (with pizza and beer!), called KC on the Map last night to learn more about what we can expect from Google. Rachel Hack (KC Google rep) and Adam Coomes (Kansas City serial entrepreneur) spent the evening discussing the possibilities of Google Fiber and what it means for KC.

Rachel Hack

Rachel Hack, the force behind Google Fiber in KC, explained Google’s vision for Google Fiber. “We’re supplying the infrastructure,” Rachel stated, “It’s [Kansas City’s] job to run with it”.

Google wants innovation; it’s pushing for it. “We want to inspire the next game changer, like YouTube”, says Rachel.

It has taken some time for Google to build its infrastructure, but Rachel says Google Fiber should be ready for business this summer. The gigabit of internet will start in residential areas and public buildings—like schools and libraries—with a possibility of commercial Google Fiber in the future. Google has had to build its customer service department from the ground up, since it hasn’t had to interact with individual customers in the past. Rachel explains, “This is the first time customers will see the face of Google so we 

want it to be good”.

What do we recommend you do right now, Kansas City?  Be patient. 

Adam Coomes

Adam Coomes is a repeat entrepreneur and now business consultant in the Kansas City area. He is also on the Chamber of Commerce steering committee to make KC the most entrepreneurial city in the US. Adam is excited about the possible innovations Google Fiber will inspire.

Adam’s personal startup, infegy, started in his house.  “We would sit in the living room doing hours of coding,” he explains. Since many startups begin in living rooms or basements, Google Fiber in residential 

areas may actually be necessary.

Adam has some advice for anyone looking to start his or her own business: “You need passion. You can learn the other things, but if you have passion, it won’t feel like work”. He also suggests participating in Startup Weekend or other hackathons in the Midwest. So get out there, entrepreneurs, and help KC with its goal!

Who would’ve thought a faster internet connection could spark so much innovation? Google foresaw this outcome, which is why it picked Kansas City. We are ready for the creativity that will flow from Kansas City with the implementation of fiber. With Google Fiber, KC is one step closer to its entrepreneurial goal—and if it’s on the horizon, we’re excited.  

Did One Week KC help Kansas City Become America’s Most Entrepreneurial City?

One Week KC set out with the goal of inching Kansas City toward becoming America’s Most Entrepreneurial City. Did it achieve its goal? 

Making Kansas City into the Most Entrepreneurial City in America is a major undertaking. Rome wasn’t built in a day.  So let’s ask ourselves a different question instead: Did One Week KC lay the foundation for Kansas City to be the Most Entrepreneurial City in America? Yes...but how?  Did this 9-day celebration really foster the entrepreneurial action and growth that we need to claim the big title?

One Week KC was filled with a many events that, first and foremost, brought people from different industries into the same atmosphere.  Starting on Monday, June 18^th, the organizers of the conference provided a platform to allow entrepreneurs, investors, startups and like-minded individuals to interact with one another at a minimum of two times a day!  Now that’s networking. 

iKC, the premier conference on innovation and entrepreneurship, was just one of the components to One Week KC.  iKC’s Inspire Talks and panels not only brought people together, but provided motivation and education. The keynote presentation from Dr. Michael E. Raynor of Deloitte Services LP gave great insight into deliberate disruption. In the afternoon, the interactive discussion panels served as kindling for the Fire Up talks.  All in all, the event was a success, and helped Kansas City inch closer to claiming the Most Entrepreneurial title. 

There was something for everyone throughout One Week KC—from networking events to seminars, breakfasts to happy hours. But that still doesn’t answer the question, “How did a 9-day conference build the foundation?” It can be answered simply with that one word we keep going back to; networking.

Networking is the like pipe from National Treasure; it’s actually quite mysterious. On the surface, it’s just a pipe, but when you dive deeper and think of the different ways it can be used, that’s when you unlock its true potential. Sure, the days of the One Week KC were filled with great learning opportunities. But it’s critical to keep in mind the old adage we hear on an almost daily basis: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” (especially in the world of entrepreneurship!).  Waffles, trivia, baseball, and entrepreneurship have very little in common. But because of One Week KC, each of these events served as an avenue for entrepreneurs to network and build valuable connections—connections that could lead into creating more and more new startups here in Kansas City.

What do you think?  Did One Week KC help Kansas City become America’s Most Entrepreneurial City? 

Sick of the Same Old Boring Swag Bag? We Are Too!

You're off to another awesome entrepreneurial conference.  You're pumped.  You've been counting down the days.  You can't wait to see what the conference has to offer.  

And then you receive another boring swag bag.  

A taupe bag filled with boring informational sheets is the only swag you get when you attend this conference. And let's be honest, you're bummed!

That's why iKC, Kansas City's innovation and entrepreneurship conference, is getting creative!  Every conference has boring bags of stuff that they give out to attendees.  iKC's swag bags will be unlike any other gift you've received from a conference...because we're getting the kids involved.

Join  for a fun and free live graffiti painting and stenciling event for kids 5 and over on Saturday, June 16th, from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Kultured Chameleon, Kansas City's new street art gallery at 1739 Oak St. in the Crossroads District.  The kids will be painting and stenciling each of the swag bags for iKC.  After the event, the graffiti bags will be distributed to iKC attendees on June 20, 2012. 

There will be demos, live painting, a live DJ, dancing, filming a mini-documentary of the event, and the creativity will be directed by the Hip Hop Academy and some of the region's premier street artists: Gear, Krie, Sha9again, Dom, VisualGoodies, SikeStyle, Mythik, Oktobot, Lofiyah1, and Chubix.

So bring your family out to the Kultured Chameleon on June 16th, be part of the fun, and tell us what being innovative means to you!

It's All About iKC

iKC, the premier conference on innovation and entrepreneurship, was born out of a merger between two successful events - the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners' Think Big Kansas City Conference. This year, the two organizations have teamed up to bring Kansas City one of the country's biggest and best innovation and entrepreneurship conferences.

iKC 2012 will take place on June 20 at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City. It is a day-long event that will feature exhibits, breakout sessions, expert speakers, Fire Up pitches, Inspire Talks, networking opportunities, and an after-party at the Kansas City Power & Light District.

The Chamber and Think Big Partners invite budding entrepreneurs, startups, students, mid-size businesses, or large corporations who are looking to spark innovation, generate ideas, foster creativity, and make new connections to attend this year's conference.

"As we've moved forward toward The Chamber's Big 5 goal of making Kansas City 'America's most entrepreneurial city,' we've realized we need to foster an ecosystem and a culture that supports our local entrepreneurs," said Jim Heeter, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. "We do that by providing events and resources like iKC. By joining forces with Think Big Partners, we're taking the conversation on innovation to a whole new level."

"We look forward to co-hosting iKC in order to blur the line between innovation and entrepreneurship and to spark the conversations that lead to taking action," said Herb Sih, managing partner of Think Big Partners. "Ultimately, we hope this conference will further reinforce Kansas City as a place where entrepreneurs and innovators can collaborate, launch successful ventures, and create sustainable jobs for the future."

The keynote address will feature Dr. Michael E Raynor who will present, "The Innovator's Manifesto: Deliberate Disruption for Breakthrough Growth." The keynote address will prove that a strategic approach to innovation is systematically more successful. As a director with Deloitte Consulting LLP, Raynor works with leading companies from a range of industries around the world. Additionally, Raynor has written three books on innovation and his most recent, The Innovator's Manifesto, demonstrates that Raynor's unique take on innovation can actually improve the ability to predict accurately which innovations will be successful.

The conference will also feature a number of breakout sessions hosted by various local experts and entrepreneurs on topics such as creating strategic partnerships, how to create the perfect pitch, the communication secrets of Steve Jobs, the power of crowd-based marketing, and more. Visit www.sparkinginnovation.org/agenda to view a complete schedule of breakout sessions.

A unique feature of iKC will be Kansas City's first Fearless Innovators' and Ruthless Entrepreneurs' Unconventional Pitch - "Fire Up" for short. With only fifteen seconds per presentation slide, Fire Up presentations will put entrepreneurs in a hot seat and will force them to be concise, to think on their feet and to spark the interest of the crowd. Watch an example of a Fire Up pitch here. To participate in a Fire Up pitch, visit the Fire Up page.

This year, iKC is offering two types of exhibit booths for those interested in showing off a company, event, or idea. To learn more about the exhibition opportunities, download the exhibit packet.

Early bird tickets for iKC are on sale now and range from $60 - $109. After May 23, ticket prices increase to $75 - $189.

iKC is one of the many events happening during One Week KC on June 18-26, 2012. One Week KC is a consolidation of the region's large and grassroots events that help educate, inspire, encourage, and celebrate entrepreneurship in Kansas City's quest to become "America's most entrepreneurial city." One Week events include tech meetups, classrooms, conferences, networking, speakers, parties, and more. Learn more at www.oneweekkc.com.

iKC is sponsored by Master Your Card Missouri, H&R Block, Inboun, the Kansas City Business Journal, KC Business Magazine, Hovey Williams, and The Aladdin Holiday Inn Hotel. 

For more information on iKC, event updates, and tickets, visit the event site www.sparkinginnovation.org, or contact Katie Daily at             (816) 374-5472      .

One Week KC Presents Entrepreneur Day at the K for Entrepreneurs and Startups

The rumors are true: Kansas City is throwing a 9-day celebration to recognize the city's growing movement of entrepreneurship, startups and innovation.  It's called One Week KC and it takes place on June 18-26, 2012 throughout the entire city.

According to Adam Coomes, organizer of One Week KC, the 9-day celebration is meant to propel the Chamber's Big 5 Entrepreneurial Initiative ahead and to build Kansas City into America's Most Entrepreneurial City.

“There are many reasons One Week should happen in KC," says Coomes.  "First of all, we have great entrepreneurial events in Kansas City already.  Although they build up the community, people don’t always know about them.  One Week KC will help others meet the startup community and bring new people out.  We want to boost the startup scene in KC and use this to lead us toward our ultimate goal—to become America’s Most Entrepreneurial City.” 

As the grand finale for One Week, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Big 5 Entrepreneurial Initiative is helping to host Entrepreneur Day at the K on June 26th.  At "E Day at the K", entrepreneurs are invited to watch the Royals take on the Tampa Bay Rays, network with one another, and tune into special announcements from Mayor Sly James, the Johnson and Wyandotte County Council of Mayors and other area Mayors.

Entrepreneurs in attendance will also have the opportunity to throw the first pitch or watch from the field during batting practice.

Tickets for E Day at the K are $13 for both a Field Box and Field Plaza seat.  The game starts at 7:10pm with mayoral announcements to take place beforehand.

Stay tuned.  More information about One Week and Entrepreneur Day at the K is coming...

iKC Announces KC Business Magazine and The Kansas City Business Journal as Media Sponsors

Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have announced the formation of two media sponsorships to jointly produce the innovation and entrepreneurship conference known as iKC with KC Business Magazine and The Kansas City Business Journal.

iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs”, and provide innovation and startup opportunities for corporations, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.  The conference will take place on June 20, 2012 at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.

iKC will spotlight keynote speaker Dr. Michael E. Raynor, author of The Innovators Solution and director at Deloitte Consulting LLP.  In addition to the keynote speech, iKC will feature a number of other expert speakers, panelists, Fire Up presentations, Inspire Talks, networking opportunities and an after-party at the KC Live Block. 

As two top providers of entrepreneurship and business news in the Kansas City community, KC Business Magazine and The Kansas City Business Journal are natural partners to collaborate with in order to promote and execute the iKC event.  Both publications offer ongoing commitment, support and coverage of entrepreneurship and innovation in and around the Kansas City area.    

Other iKC sponsors include Master Your Card Missouri, H&R Block, bizperc, Inboun and Piscator Media.  Think Big Partners and The Chamber are currently pursuing other organizations interested in sponsoring Kansas City’s newest conference on innovation and entrepreneurship.  If interested in a sponsorship, please call (816) 842-5244 or visit www.sparkinginnovation.org. 

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

iKC Announces Master Your Card Missouri as Presenting Sponsor

Kansas City-based startup accelerator and business incubator Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have announced Master Your Card Missouri as the presenting sponsor for the June 20^th innovation and entrepreneurship conference known as iKC.

Master Your Card Missouri is a public education campaign from MasterCard which helps consumers, small businesses and governments get more from their money by using prepaid, debit and credit cards to their advantage.  Master Your Card Missouri uses its innovative technology to run an electronic payment network that delivers instantaneous, affordable and safe transactions through cards. 

The Master Your Card Missouri program is an entrepreneurial approach to the world of payment that aligns with the message that iKC will send this spring.  The program allows for consumers, small businesses and governments to improve awareness of financial inclusion, awareness of financial literacy, negotiation tactics, knowledge of electronic payment processes and technical assistance.

“As a technology company that happens to be in the payments space, customers and cardholders look to MasterCard for cutting-edge advancements in the space, so that they can pay for the things that matter to them in the way that they prefer," said Rob Reeg, President of MasterCard Technologies. "Doing so means skills like being innovative and demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit are crucial for us, and a reason that we’ve chosen to support the iKC 2012 event. As a company with our technology headquarters based in Missouri, we look forward to the valuable content the sessions will offer to attendees, as well as the opportunity to introduce our Master Your Card Missouri public education campaign to help businesses, consumers and governments get more value from the technology we offer.”

iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs”, and provide innovation and startup opportunities for corporations, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.  The conference will take place on June 20, 2012 at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  Think Big Partners and The Chamber are thrilled to partner with Master Your Card Missouri to help foster the growth of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Kansas City area through the creation of a day-long conference.

“The iKC Conference will bring together some of the most innovative minds in the Kansas City region and beyond,” said Jim Heeter, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “We’re thrilled to have Master Your Card Missouri as a sponsor of this exciting event, which moves us that much closer to our Big 5 goal of making Kansas City America’s most entrepreneurial city.”

To become a sponsor or speaker for the iKC event on June 20, 2012, please visit www.sparkinginnovation.org.  To purchase a ticket, please visit the iKC registration page.

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

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iKC Announces Keynote Speaker, Michael E. Raynor

iKC, Kansas City’s innovation and entrepreneurship conference on June 20, 2012, will feature keynote speaker Dr. Michael E. Raynor, author of the The Innovator’s Solution and director at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Dr. Raynor is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling and award-winning author of The Innovator’s Solution, The Strategy Paradox, and The Innovator’s Manifesto. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on innovation and overcoming the challenges of turning new ideas into successful new businesses.

Raynor’s research forms the foundation of his consulting work a Deloitte Consulting LLP, where he is a Director. He consults with senior executives in the world’s leading corporations across a wide range of industries. Dr. Raynor will share his insights into innovation – what to do, what not to do, and how to do it – at iKC, the upcoming innovation and entrepreneurship event in Kansas City. iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs” and provide innovation and startup opportunities for corporations, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.

“We are excited to have a world class speaker like Michael Raynor give the keynote speech at our innovation and entrepreneurship conference, iKC,” said Herb Sih, co-founder of Think Big Partners. “There has never been a more important time in our city’s history to bring innovation and entrepreneurship together and encourage collaboration that will benefit the city for years to come.”

iKC takes place on June 20, 2012 at the H&R Block World Headquarters. Early-bird tickets are on sale now through May 23, 2012. The conference is currently seeking sponsors and speakers. iKC is hosted by Think Big Partners, LLC and The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. To learn more, visit http://www.sparkinginnovation.orgor call             (816) 842-5244      . 

Follow iKC! @ikc_2012

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The Opportunity to Build America's Most Entrepreneurial City

Kansas City is on its way to becoming America’s most entrepreneurial city—and the iKC conference is just one of the stepping stones to get us there.  We’ve seen initiatives from a handful of other organizations such as the Kauffman Foundation, the Social Media Club of Kansas City, Brainzooming and many others. 

And now, it’s your chance to become a part of the entrepreneurial movement.

With an iKC sponsorship, you have the opportunity to not only become a supporter of the KC entrepreneurial movement, but also to positively expose your organization and receive beneficial perks along the way.  An iKC sponsorship can intrinsically link you with an inspirational group of people and give you the opportunity to spend the day interacting with successful innovators, entrepreneurs, creative minds, local businesses and large corporations. 

There are two different types of sponsorships available:

1.  General iKC Sponsorship: The customizable sponsorship packet allows you to pick the level at which you wish to sponsor.  With a wide range of levels to choose from, organizations of any size can become a part of iKC.  iKC sponsorships also allow for interested startups and media organizations to get involved.  To learn more about these opportunities, contact iKC.

2.  Fire Up Sponsorship: The Fire Up sponsorship opportunity is completely unique to iKC.  Fire Up (short for Fearless Innovators’ and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch) is a lightning-fast pitch presentation from a number of local innovative entrepreneurs.  When sponsoring a Fire Up, iKC will pair you with an entrepreneur that will innovate on your company’s platform and then present it to a live audience.  That means that your company will walk away from iKC with a brand new, realistic innovation.  To learn more about sponsoring Fire Up, contact iKC. 

Get involved with iKC today and join Kansas City’s innovative and entrepreneurial efforts.  To learn more, visit iKC's Sponsorship page or call 816-842-5244.  

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

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iKC: Innovate, Ignite and Inspire on June 20

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Think Big Partners have launched the new website for Kansas City’s innovation and entrepreneur conference, now known as iKC.

iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs”, and provide innovation and startup education for corporate creatives, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.  The conference will take place on June 20^th at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.

“iKC can mean so many different things to so many different people in Kansas City,” said co-founder of Think Big Partners, Herb Sih.  “To an entrepreneur, it may mean inspiration.  To corporate creatives, it may mean innovation.  To others it could mean involvement, interaction, impact, or interconnectivity. We hope to encapsulate all of these meanings into one Kansas City conference—iKC.”

“iKC is going to be a high-energy, interactive get-together for many of our region’s top innovators and visionaries,” said Jim Heeter, president and CEO of The Chamber. “By bringing these people together and giving them a place to network and collaborate, we are another step closer to becoming America’s most entrepreneurial city.”

In addition to spotlighting a number of different local and national speakers, iKC is also featuring its very first Fire Up series (which stands for Fearless Innovators’ and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch).  Fire Up is made up of faster-than-usual pitch presentations from local innovative entrepreneurs.  These entrepreneurs will only have a few minutes to convey and entire business pitch to a live audience.  iKC is currently looking for Kansas City corporations to sponsor a Fire Up presentation as well as entrepreneurs interested in participating in Fire Up.  To learn more, please visit http://www.sparkinginnovation.com. 

iKC is currently looking for leaders in the Kansas City business community and beyond to get involved through sponsorship and speaker opportunities.  To learn more about these opportunities or to register for iKC, please visit http://www.sparkinginnovation.org.

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

Entrepreneur Corner Opens Back Up During First Fridays April 6th

Last year, Entrepreneur Corner helped to bring entrepreneurs, artists, startups and Kansas City residents together every month during First Fridays.  At Entrepreneur Corner, attendees have had the opportunity to meet local successful entrepreneurs, learn about new business in Kansas City and view unique pieces of artwork that local artists have produced.

But this summer, we're hosting Entrepreneur Corner with a bit of a twist.

Each month, we will be bringing in two of the Midwest's coolest new startup companies and spotlighting them to the public.  That means that every month, two different startups will come together and host their own networking party during First Fridays...courtesy of Think Big Partners and bizperc.  And the best part?  It takes place on our rooftop garden.

This month, we will be spotlighting Think Big Partners (the Kansas City-based startup accelerator that you all know and love) and Inboun (a new inbound marketing startup).  So join us for beer, snacks and great networking on our rooftop garden (1800 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO) on Friday, April 6 from 5:00-9:00pm.

If you want even more from this month's First Fridays (and love startups and entrepreneurship as much as we do), be sure to swing by 1617 Event Space from 4:00-6:30 PM for the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's Big Idea Exchange Series.  At this event, the Chamber will hold a panel to discuss more about the Big 5 initiative to move UMKC's world-class arts program downtown and on how creativity is helping to build a thriving economy here in KC.

But wait...there's more!  Life Equals, our favorite supplement and multivitamin family, will be back with their fun First Fridays photobooth!  So if you'd like to capture a moment like this...

...be sure to stop by 1800 Baltimore on April 6th too! 

Are you interested in spotlighting your startup at Entrepreneur Corner? Contact Sarah at ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com for more information.  


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Announcing IgniteKC: The 2012 Kansas City Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The contest is over and the ballots are in!

Think Big Partners and Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have chosen “IgniteKC” as the winner of the naming contest for the 2012 Kansas City conference on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Earlier this year, Think Big Partners and the Kansas City Chamber opened up the naming contest to spark community involvement amongst Kansas City innovators, entrepreneurs and creative minds. From their ideas and suggestions emerged IgniteKC, the new official name of the conference, selected by a committee made up of members from the Chamber of Commerce and Think Big Partners.

“This conference is a step in the right direction for Kansas City,” said managing partner and co-founder of Think Big Partners, Herb Sih. “We hope that the event ignites a collaborative spark between entrepreneurial organizations, large Kansas-City based corporations, small businesses and creative individuals alike.”

IgniteKC is the culmination of the Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City with the goal of building Kansas City into America’s most entrepreneurial city. The jam-packed, all-day conference will be hosted by H&R Block and will take place on June 20^th, 2012, at the H&R Block Corporate headquarters building in downtown Kansas City. The conference is dedicated to educating and motivating innovators, entrepreneurs and like-minded individuals by giving them an arena to learn, grow and connect.

IgniteKC is looking for leaders in the Kansas City business community and beyond to get involved through sponsorship and speaker opportunities. To learn more about getting involved, please visit www.kc2012.com (site subject to change) or call (816) 842.5244.

Stay tuned! The IgniteKC website will launch soon with information about tickets, event schedule and more opportunities.

Follow IgniteKC on Twitter! @IgniteKC

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Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference Naming Contest Comes to Close Tomorrow!

KC2012. We know you can do better than that, entrepreneurs. 

Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce are excited to host this year's innovation + entrepreneur conference in Kansas City.  And although the two organizations are fully prepared for a jam-packed, all-day conference, they are turning to innovators, entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to name the big event. 

So, creative minds, it's time to think big.  We're asking you to do what you do best: dig deep, get inspired and put a name tag on this conference's chest.  After all, it belongs to you. 

Submit your name ideas for this innovation and entrepreneur conference, which is to take place on June 20th at H&R Block World Headquarters.  If your idea wins, you will win a free ticket to the conference plus some other cool prizes.  Submissions for the naming contest are due tomorrow at 11:59pm.  

Help us build America’s most entrepreneurial city.  Follow the link to submit your conference name idea and to learn more: www.kc2012.com.


*Winner will be announced March 7, 2012! 


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