Thinking Bigger Business News Update

Enterprise Center of JoCo to Offer MIT-Affiliated Mentoring Program

The Enterprise Center of Johnson County is launching a new MIT-affiliated team mentoring program for the city’s up-and-coming companies.

Applications for the program’s first class are due by May 9. Participating entrepreneurs will be given not just a mentor, but a team of three to four mentors. The Growth Mentoring Service is free, and it is open to companies that have at least $100,000 in annual revenue.

“Mentoring is a vital component of any entrepreneurial ecosystem, and we’re proud to contribute to the effort to fill this gap in Kansas City for businesses seeking scale,” said Wayne Morgan, director of ECJC’s Growth Mentoring Service. Morgan has previously served as an executive with Netchemia, Black & Veatch and MRI Global.

The Growth Mentoring Service is certified as an affiliate of the MIT Venture Mentoring Service, which shares best practices developed through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. More than 1,200 companies have been helped by MIT Venture Mentoring Service; ECJC is the 52nd affiliate in the world. The Kauffman Foundation has awarded ECJC a grant to help launch its own program.

Entrepreneurs selected for the first cohort of the Growth Mentoring Service will start working with their mentors after the official program kickoff on May 25.

Interested in learning more? ECJC will host two informational meetings—from 6 to 8 p.m. April 6 and April 28—at its offices at 4220 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Ste. 350B, in Fairway. You can also visit the official website here.