Youth Entrepreneurs Serves Up Business for Breakfast in Kansas City

Another great startup event hot and out of the oven in Kansas City!  Youth Entrepreneurs is hosting its annual Business for Breakfast event on November 13, 2012 from 7:30am-9:00am at Livestrong Sporting Park.

Youth Entrepreneurs is excited to kick-start the day with an interactive discussion that features the insights of inspirational leaders who have supported Youth Entrepreneurs for the past few years.  This year, Cliff Illig, co-founder of Cerner, will be the speaker with moderating by Eric Morgenstern of Morningstar Communications.  The Emcee for the day is Betsy Johnson, a Youth Entrepreneurs alum and founder of SwimZip.

If you're looking to get connected, get inspired and get help, the Business for Breakfast event by Youth Entrepreneurs is a great way to get involved in the Kansas City community.  Tickets are on sale now for just $75.00 (a table of 7 is $600.00).

Business for Breakfast could not come at a better time either.  The event will take place smack dab in the middle of Kansas City's Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 8-November 16, 2012).  There's no better time to start celebrating entrepreneurship than with young, passionate minds during GEW.

Reserve your spot at Business for Breakfast today and get connected with the KC startup community!

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Startup Weekend Returns to Kansas City

It seems like only yesterday that bizperc's 6th floor was bustling with inspired entrepreneurs, wide-eyed visionaries, and energetic professionals during Startup Weekend Kansas City.  In April, Startup Weekend brought together over 80 Kansas City entrepreneurs and created three potential startup companies.  Two of these companies went on to officially launch.  Obviously, Kansas City's first Startup Weekend in 2011 was a huge success, so why not have another one?

Adam Coomes and Steven Chau, KC's Startup Weekend organizers, have announced that SUW KC will take place from November 11th-13th of 2011 at the Cerner Innovation Campus.  The event could not be scheduled at a more perfect time -- it will take place right in the middle of Global Entrepreneurship Week -- which is the best time for entrepreneurs to explore their ideas, dive head first into their businesses, and start up a new venture.

Details about ticket sales will be announced soon.  You can find more information on the Startup Weekend Kansas City site.

Not sure if Startup Weekend Kansas City is for you?  Check out our list of the Top 10 reasons to attend this stellar KC business event!

1.  You’re going to meet some awesome people.

Entrepreneurs.  Developers.  Designers.  Marketers.  Product managers.  Startup enthusiasts.  Tech guys.  They’re all at Startup Weekend and they’re all anxious to meet you!  Startup Weekend not only provides you with the opportunity to make your startup dream come true, but it also gives you the networking opportunity that you need in order to grow your rolodex of experts and learn what others have to offer. 

2.      It’s super quick.

Startup Weekend takes an idea and launches it in 54 hours.  That means no business plans that take months to develop, no lack of resources that take days to discover, and no time-consuming and ineffective business meetings.  Everything you need will be right at your fingertips, making Startup Weekend one of the only ways to bring your idea to life in one weekend. 

3.      You’re going to learn...a lot.

Startup Weekend is more than just a chance to launch a business—it’s a chance to expand your mind!  Startup Weekends are all about learning through the act of creating.  This event allows you to step outside of your comfort zone and work on a new platform, learn a new program, or just try something different.

4.      Food!!

That’s right, you get food at Startup Weekend!  Startup Weekend Kansas City costs $60 to get involved, but you get a lot of stuff with your ticket including meals, snacks, access to exclusive resources, global sponsors, and all of the coffee you can drink.

5.      You get some major face time.

Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends as mentors and judges.  Get some one-on-one time with the movers and shakers in Kansas City at this event!

6.      You get to go co-founder dating.

Startup Weekend is about more than just an idea—it’s about the team behind it.  Startup Weekend is hands down the best way to find someone that you can actually launch a startup with.

7.      You’re joining a global force.

Startup Weekend is a global community with over 30,000 alumni, all on a mission to change the world. 

8.      It inspires, it motivates.

For entrepreneurs who just can’t seem to pull their idea together. For corporate businesspeople who are stuck in the rut of the 9-5.  For creative minds who can’t find an avenue.  For serial entrepreneurs looking for their next breakthrough.  Startup Weekend could be the answer to anybody’s need for a little inspiration and a little motivation. 

9.      You get to experience it in an amazing facility!

Startup Weekend Kansas City is taking place at Cerner's Innovation Campus.  If you haven't checked it out yet, this would be the perfect opportunity to do so...and use it!

10.   What else are you going to do…seriously?

Sit on the Lazy Boy and eat potato chips?  We don’t think so.  Take advantage of your November 11th-13th weekend and sign up for Startup Weekend Kansas City!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Think Big Partners Announces The Gigabit Challenge

January 2010.  Google announces the development of Google Fiber.

March 2011.  Google awards Kansas City, Kansas as the city for the fiber optic network trial.  KC was selected from 1,100 cities that applied.

May 2011.  Google decides to expand the Google Fiber trial to both KCK and KCMO.

July 2011.  Think Big Partners presents The Gigabit Challenge - one of the first initatives for the new Google Fiber network in Kansas City.

Things are happening...and fast.  In about a year and a half, it seems as if Kansas City has gone from zero to 60.  Now that Google has joined Cerner, Garmin and Sprint as part of the Kansas City tech family, the city is emerging as a strong tech hub in the middle of America. 

This morning, Think Big Partners announced the formation of a business plan competition in anticipation of the launch of Google's ultra high-speed broadband network, Google Fiber.  The business plan competition, known as The Gigabit Challenge, will be open to entrepreneurs and innovators from across the globe.  Interested businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators are invited to participate in the competition with the goal of establishing new companies that will fulfill Google's mission of developing new applications that will expand human welfare.

As a community leader in early-stage business innovation and entrepreneurship, Think Big Partners is hosting The Gigabit Challenge so that entrepreneurs and innovators have a head start in utilizing the Google Fiber network. As a worldwide business plan competition, The Gigabit Challenge offers not only the chance for competitors to develop next-generation businesses, but will also foster a surge in innovation and disruptive technology linking Kansas City to the world.

"In the last few years we have seen an explosion of innovation and entrepreneurial activity in the Kansas City area," says Tyler Prochnow, Senior Partner at Think Big Partners. "New technologies are making it easier and easier to launch and grow new ventures. We expect that the Google Fiber network will spawn new waves of innovation both here and across the globe."

Think Big Partners is currently seeking sponsors and judges to participate in The Gigabit Challenge. As a sponsor or judge, organizations and individuals will have a first look at a number of innovative business plans and will gain insight into the direction that the market will take with this new platform.

The Gigabit Challenge will start on October 1, 2011. Winners will be announced and awarded prizes at an event to be held during December 2011. In addition to the prize awards, Think Big Partners will facilitate introductions to investors for further capitalization of the winners. The winners will then be able to implement their applications on the Google Fiber network starting in the first quarter of 2012.

For more information about The Gigabit Challenge or to express interest in becoming a sponsor or judge, please visit The Gigabit Challenge website.

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Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig