Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO

In the last edition of the EDC Edit for 2024, we look back on a transformative year for our city and the role we played. Check out this latest edition and our newsletter archives on our website. Happy New Year!

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EDCKC is pleased to announce that Edged, the fast-growing sustainable infrastructure provider, marked a significant milestone yesterday with the grand opening of its new ultra-efficient Kansas City data center. The state-of-the-art facility sets a new standard for sustainability and performance with waterless cooling systems built to support advanced computing technology and cloud services. The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the transformation of the vacant site into a thriving digital hub. Visit our website to read more: https://lnkd.in/gzKWWVaP

Regina Sosa Valdovinos, EDCKC's Capital Access Manager, recently took the stage at Evergy Energy Partners's 2nd Annual Supplier Diversity Summit, participating in the Access to Capital panel. Regina highlighted EDCKC's Capital Access Programs, offering insights into how small businesses can navigate funding opportunities to support their growth and sustainability. She also emphasized the collaborative resources available through EDCKC and The KC BizCare Office, empowering entrepreneurs to access the capital they need to succeed in Kansas City’s dynamic business ecosystem.

EDCKC is excited to announce that OpenStore, an innovative e-commerce platform transforming how businesses scale and operate, will open its first-ever fulfillment center in Kansas City, Missouri, in March 2025. The 113,000-square-foot facility, located at Executive Park Logistics Center, represents a $5 million capital investment that is expected to bring 46 new jobs and $2 million in payroll to the Kansas City region in the next five years. Visit our website to read more: https://lnkd.in/g9px7JUr

Celebrating Innovation: LaunchKC’s 2024 Cohort Honored at City Council! We’re thrilled to share that LaunchKC’s 2024 Cohort received a special proclamation at City Hall, presented by Mayor Pro Tem Ryana P. and Councilmember Wes Rogers. This recognition highlights the remarkable talent and innovation driving Kansas City forward. Congratulations to the visionary founders in our 2024 Cohort: - CodeAlgo Academy: Triumfia Houmbie Fulks & Sedric Hibler - Heft IQ: Learie Hercules - Lotus TMS: Holly Andra Small & Neelima Parasker, PMP® - Raven Space Systems: Blake Herren & Ryan Cowdrey - SaRA Health - Stress Free RTM: Steven Coen - Cyphr (Formerly Foresight): Jannae Gammage We’re proud to support these trailblazing entrepreneurs as they build innovative solutions right here in Kansas City. We’re proud to support these trailblazing entrepreneurs as they build innovative solutions in Kansas City. We also extend our gratitude to the Downtown Council of Kansas City for partnering with us to champion this initiative and foster growth in our community.

A Night to Remember: LaunchKC Liftoff 2024 Recap! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at LaunchKC Liftoff last month, making it our biggest and most impactful event yet! We’re thrilled to see what this year’s incredible cohort will achieve as they shape the future of entrepreneurship in Kansas City. Highlights from the Event: - We proudly unveiled the 2024-2025 LaunchKC Grant Awardees at the iconic J. Rieger & Co. - Special Thanks to Mayor Quinton Lucas and Neelima Parasker, PMP®. for joining us and supporting Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. At EDCKC and the Downtown Council, we prioritize entrepreneurship because we know that today's startups are tomorrow's job creators and economic engines. Congratulations to the 2025 LaunchKC Awardees: - Storytailor Inc. : Jaqwan Sirls & Herston Fails - Sisu: Erin Little - Roz: Donnie Hampton & Sarah Hampton - Scout - dental charting, anesthesia planning and monitoring.: Gonzalo E. - Hilltop Technologies: Conner Hazelrigg, MBA & Nick G. - SourceEazy: Russel Karim & Rebecca Arellano - Cybership: Jeffrey Annaraj & Jack Kelly Thank you to our sponsors who help make this happen: Missouri Technology Corporation, Spire, Evergy, City of Kansas City, MO, Husch Blackwell, Polsinelli, Port KC, JE Dunn Construction, State of Missouri, Downtown Council of Kansas City Check out our recap video showcasing the energy and excitement of the night—here’s to a future powered by innovation and collaboration! **Tommy Wilson **Tracey Lewis **William Dietrich **Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO **Downtown Council of Kansas City **Keystone Innovation District

At the beginning of this year, in collaboration with The KC BizCare Office and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, EDCKC was proud to unveil the Kansas City Small Business (SMB) Capital Programs, an innovative initiative aimed at providing essential starting capital for small businesses. Since launching in February, we’ve made great progress: - $120K in grant funding given to 9 micro-businesses - $53.5K in 8 Kiva KC loans fully funded (100% women/minority-owned) - $200K in matched funding committed to 20 businesses in tourism industries (arts, entertainment, food, retail, personal professional improvement services) - 200+ businesses referred to other programs (57% women/84% BIPOC) - 57 businesses impacted in 2024 Visit bizcare.kcmo.gov/capital or email smbcapital@edckc.com to learn more.

Did you know that LaunchKC is EDCKC’s primary entrepreneurship focus? It features two programs: the Grants Competition - in its 9th year - where several early-stage companies compete to receive $50,000 grants, office space, and more, and the Social Venture Studio, a program custom-designed for social entrepreneurs. We're very proud that both programs have seen tremendous success over the last several years.

The November edition of EDC Edit, our monthly newsletter, just hit subscriber inboxes. This month, we're exploring the vital economic impact of entrepreneurship and the work we're doing to support it in KCMO, including our flagship LaunchKC program. Check out this edition and our archives on our website. To subscribe, use the form in the footer.