GUIDE: INNOVATION-LED > PART ONE
Do You Have a Marketable Product?
Determine the feasibility of your product or service.
Successful entrepreneurs must first answer the question of feasibility…you have an idea or a technology. Will it do what it’s intended to do? Can you produce it? What’s the value proposition?
The following resources can help you with concept definition and testing; manufacturing assessments (to determine whether the product can be produced efficiently); and prototype development.
Digital Sandbox KC
Digital Sandbox KC provides proof-of-concept resources, including market validation, prototyping and beta-testing support for development of digital technologies within new and existing businesses.
Specializes in: Market Plan Development and Training
Endeavor Heartland
Established in 2019, and later expanded into Kansas City and Tulsa, Endeavor launched in Bentonville, Arkansas to support entrepreneurs with the potential for economic and social impact in America's Heartland.
Specializes in: Market Plan Development and Training
San Luis Marketing Agency
A video and marketing agency. We offer a complete range of marketing and sales services to businesses of all sizes, individuals, and nonprofits. So you can focus on working, creating, and dreaming.
Specializes in: Market Plan Development and Training
The Black MasterMind Group Charitable Foundation
The Black MasterMind Group Charitable Foundation is designed to create strategies to help the Black entrepreneurial community start, stabilize, sustain and scale businesses. It educates, trains, coaches, mentors, develops and provides funding initiatives
Specializes in: Market Plan Development and Training
Well Well Marketing
Our vision is to make the world healthier by promoting health and wellness businesses. We provide holistic marketing to holistic brands.
Specializes in: Market Plan Development and Training
ArtsKC - Regional Arts Council
ArtsKC has developed programs and services designed to unleash the power of the arts. This includes programs for the arts community, the business community and services to the civic community.
Bloch Consulting Lab at UMKC
The Bloch Consulting Lab offers pro-bono consulting to new ventures and small businesses led by founders from underserved Kansas City communities.
GUILDit
GUILDit spurs Kansas City artists and entrepreneurs. The organization’s mission is to create communities around best business practices in the way of forums, panels, lectures and alike programming.
Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of Greater Kansas City
The Hispanic Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) is dedicated to improving the lives of Latinos within the greater Kansas City. HEDC achieves this through business development and economic and community wealth creation initiatives.
K-State Technology Development Institute (TDI)
The Technology Development Institute provides a variety of resources and services through collaborative engineering and business development partnerships to advance technologies, people and companies.
Kansas Manufacturing Solutions (KMS)
Kansas Manufacturing Solutions helps companies realize never-ending growth in the rapidly changing global marketplace by helping make American businesses more innovative at home and more competitive abroad.
Kansas Small Business Development Center at JCCC (SBDC)
The Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Johnson County Community College provides business assistance to aspiring and existing small business owners in Johnson, Miami and Wyandotte counties in Kansas through low cost training events and no-charge one-on-one business counseling.
Kansas Small Business Development Center at KU (SBDC)
The Kansas Small Business Development Center at the University of Kansas provides free and confidential individual advising to small business owners, managers and prospective owners. The center can work with any company that fits into the Small Business Administration's definition of a "small business."
KU Innovation Park
KU Innovation Park, with locations at both the University of Kansas Lawrence Campus and Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, is the largest incubator system in the state. It is comprised of three separate facilities totaling approximately 90,000 square feet of wet lab, office space and shared work spaces.
Miami County Economic Development Department
The Miami County, Kansas Economic Development Department assists businesses in their development and expansion while promoting the region's economic growth.
Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC)
The Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center assists domestic manufacturers negatively impacted by import competition by providing cost share funding to implement improvement projects to make a business more globally competitive.
Mid-Continent Public Library Culinary Center
The Mid-Continent Public Library Culinary Center is a destination and resource for anyone interested in learning more about food and culinary entrepreneurship. Housed in the Green Hills Library Center, the Culinary Center features a teaching and demonstration kitchen and two shared commercial kitchens for use by startup food businesses.
Missouri Enterprise, Kansas City and Northwest Missouri
Missouri Enterprise is a dedicated manufacturing expert and your partner to strengthen and grow your company. The organization assists manufacturers with workforce development, technology, lean principles, exporting, quality, food safety and more.
Missouri SBDC at Northwest Missouri State University - St. Joseph
The SBTDC offers confidential, one-on-one counseling, coaching and training to existing businesses and emerging business owners.
Missouri SBDC at University of Missouri Kansas City
Missouri SBDC at UMKC is OPEN for business; both virtually and in-person for our trainings and counseling. Contact us at [email protected] to talk how we can help you SOAR with your entrepreneurial journey
Nonprofit Connect
Nonprofit Connect links the nonprofit community to education, resources and networking so organizations can more effectively achieve their missions.
Northland CAPS
Northland CAPS students use business standard software, equipment and employer mentorship to solve real world problems for entrepreneurs and business owners.
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.
The Freelance Exchange
The Freelance Exchange is Kansas City’s outsource resource. Here, “solopreneurs” from the advertising and marketing industry come together as a community to share best practices, become savvier business owners and expand their networks. FX also serves as a free resource for local ad agencies and businesses to find quality talent easily and quickly.
The Toolbox: Small Business Resource Center
The Toolbox: Small Business Resource Center is the go-to resource for everything small business in Wyandotte County, Kansas. All services are offered at no cost to local residents and businesses. The Toolbox provides support with planning, registering, funding, operating and growing your business through private one-on-one small business coaching.
Women's Business Center of Kansas City
The Women’s Business Center provides training, mentoring, networking opportunities and business consulting to help women start and grow their businesses.
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