| The first thing outside investors look at is the management team. Not just you, but those you bring together to help you achieve your mission. The lore in the venture capital industry is to take an “A” team over a “B” idea every time. So, you’ll need to know what you know and what you don’t know, so you can augment your skill set in those you hire. Getting the top talent you need may require creative compensation packages. You’ll need to be able to read financials, communicate effectively with investors, customers, employees. Mentors and advisors will be invaluable. And you may find that the equipment and/or atmosphere of an incubator will be a launch pad for your business. Several KCSourceLink Resource Partners are equipped to help you polish your own skill set and identify/recruit the talent you need. They can also help you with protecting your intellectual property. Program/Classes The Small Business Development Center at JCCC helps business owners address business challenges through one-on-one counseling and a range of topic-specific classes. The Small Business Development Center at UMKC hosts the successful CEO Coaching and More program; the FastTrac TechVenture class; and provides one-on-one counseling. The Small Business and Technology Development Center at UCM helps high-growth and technology-based businesses with engineering support, advanced manufacturing and intellectual property research and patent filing. The Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) is designed to assist businesses with revenue over $1 million achieve the next level of growth by pairing up-and-coming entrepreneurs with seasoned mentors. PIPELINE is designed to systematically identify high potential technology entrepreneurs and match them with best-in-class training, resources and mentors to facilitate their dynamic growth in the Midwest region. Incubators The Enterprise Center of Johnson County offers programming geared specifically for high-growth companies, from selecting advisors to social media, from finance to federal grants. The Biotechnology Development Center of Greater Kansas City is a community-based wet lab incubator that provides entrepreneurs with the resource they need for the development and commercialization of biotechnology products and services. The Bioscience and Technology Business Center, located on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus, offers state-of-the-art wet lab, dry lab and office space and the resources of KU research to spinout companies, large companies that partner with KU research, emerging growth companies and small pharmaceutical firms. The Lawrence Regional Technology Center (LRTC) is a not-for-profit small business incubator that offers valuable resources and services to support the formation and growth of high-technology start-up companies in Lawrence and the surrounding communities. |