BIG News

LaunchKC Attracts About 400 Entries for This Fall’s Competition

This year’s LaunchKC grant competition has attracted approximately 400 entries from 19 states and five countries.

Now organizers are starting the hard work of narrowing the field down to 20 startups that will compete for cash awards during Techweek Kansas City in September.

Those finalists will be selected by the end of this month. At stake are a $100,000 grand prize and eight grants each worth $50,000. Winners also receive free office space and other help.

This is the third year for the contest, which is presented by the Downtown Council and the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. It’s designed to attract more startups to the downtown area.

“LaunchKC has attracted about 1,500 applications from throughout the nation and the world during our first three years of competition,” said Drew Solomon, an EDC vice president who chairs the competition for LaunchKC. “This year’s field is a tough one – with great talent, vision and drive clearly visible in their applications and pitch videos.”

Techweek Kansas City will run Sept. 11-15. LaunchKC’s award ceremony has historically been the culminating event of the conference. While several out-of-town firms compete, several KC startups have won grants, including blooom, Mycroft, PerfectCube, Super Dispatch and many others.