UMKC Innovation Center partners with the university and the community to spark and sustain entrepreneurial efforts within our region and across the country.

KCSourceLink connects KC entrepreneurs to the right resource at the right time.

MOSourceLink connects Missouri entrepreneurs to the right resource at the right time.

Whiteboard2Boardroom connects entrepreneurs and businesses to technologies available for licensing.

Digital Sandbox KC provides early-stage proof-of-concept support for digital products.

Missouri Small Business & Technology Development Center provides technical assistance to startup and existing businesses.

ScaleUP! Kansas City helps businesses with revenues around $200K scale toward their first $1 million.

Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers helps local businesses obtain government contracts.

KCInvestED helps investors learn more about investing in KC startups.

SourceLink® helps communities nationwide build vibrant and vital entrepreneurial ecosystems.
UMKC Innovation Center
UMKC Innovation Center

Guide: Growing Your Business  Part Five

Boards and Advisors

Outside oversight can drive business growth and expansion. See what it can do for your business.

Outside oversight and input becomes increasingly vital as a company grows. Official boards of directors and unofficial advisory boards can provide connections and ideas to drive business expansion.

Mentors, peer groups and roundtables also offer some measure of input.

Provider Information

Enterprise Center in Johnson County

The Enterprise Center in Johnson County (ECJC) is a venture development organization providing resources and connections to accelerate the success of early-stage companies.

Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP)

The Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP) matches growing entrepreneurs one-on-one with business veterans to help them grow their business. HEMP focus on businesses around $1 million in revenues and higher, 3 years or more in business and with 5 or more full-time employees.

Holy Rosary Credit Union

Our members are not only members of a financial institution, they are members of the HRCU family. We seek not only to provide financial services, but to empower our members to be in control of their finances. We do this by overcoming language barriers, offering opportunities for education, and creating a mutual trust between our staff and our members.

KC Collective

KC Collective was developed by startup founders for startup founders. Through collective collaboration, we leverage our networks to provide introductions, mentorship, generous perks and discounts from our partners, and the education and resources necessary for driving your business forward.

KC Velocity

Our purpose is to provide high quality mentoring, events and leadership services to growth oriented companies, along with networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, to result in positive business activity and facilitate job creation in Lee’s Summit.

Leanlab Education

LEANLAB Education is an organization that builds communities and launches transformational innovations into K12 schools.

Pipeline Entrepreneurs

Pipeline is a Fellowship of high-performing entrepreneurs who call the Midwest home. They have access to our national network of experts who share a passion for our Pipeline family.

RedTire

Assist businesses in ownership transition, succession planning, business valuation, business sales and acquisitions. Provide guidance and counselling to potential buyers. Equally assist both sides by helping the parties negotiate a fair value to make a win-win deal and complete the purchase transaction. All services are offered free of charge.

ScaleUP! Kansas City

ScaleUP! Kansas City is a four month program that will immerse 12 to 15 entrepreneurs in courses and collisions that will connect them with a high caliber network of peers, resources and mentors and change the trajectory of their businesses.

SCORE

The Kansas City SCORE Chapter is comprised of more than 70 volunteers who provide free mentoring and workshops to entrepreneurs. Volunteers are professionals with time-tested knowledge and experience in almost every industry.

Techstars

Techstars utilizes a global ecosystem of founders, mentors, investors, and corporate partners work together to create a network of support that lasts throughout your entrepreneurial journey.

The Black MasterMind Group Charitable Foundation

The Black MasterMind Group is designed to create strategies to help the Black Entrepreneurial Community; Start, Stabilize, Sustain, and Scale businesses in the black entrepreneurial community. The Black MasterMind Group works collaboratively with organizations, community leaders, business coaches, trainers, educators, and business leaders, to teach entrepreneurial financial literacy and business strategies helping the black entrepreneurial community secure funding.

The Family Conservancy

The Family Conservancy supports child care and preschool providers with a wide range of professional development training and consultation.

The Porter House KC

The Porter House KC is a inner city based co-working community who provides entrepreneurship access and resources to underserved populations in the Kansas City Metro area. Our mission is to be a bridge for underrepresented individuals that typically don't have access to the entrepreneurial dream.

The Sewing Labs

The Sewing Labs is a non-profit community resource center providing classes and jobs training in sewing-related arts in the KC community. Our newest program, The Sewing Salon Training Program , will provide an unconventional entrepreneurial hub for marginalized and at-risk individuals to develop their sewing businesses.

UMKC Entrepreneurship Scholars Program (E-Scholars)

ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHOLARS allows you to work alongside a peer group of entrepreneurs while you take your business from idea to launch. Learn from accomplished entrepreneurs from the Kansas City startup community as well as exceptional faculty. Leave with a plan for how to develop a scalable and sustainable venture, and get ready to bring your dream to life.

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