We may not be known as the safest hamlet in the country or the most attractive, but entrepreneurial-minded folks looking for a place to start up a business may find a haven in Kansas City.
In a Fast Company article titled, "Why You Should Start a Business in ... Kansas City," the biggest draw was the number of mentorship programs available through non-profit organizations like the Kaufmann Foundation. The article interviews Bo Fishback, who runs Kaufmann Labs, a "startup incubator" of sorts which pays "entrepreneurs for up to six months while they
build out their startups." So what makes Kansas City such a dynamic startup town?
According to Fishback, it's the welcoming business community here that cultivates talent. "The willingness of entrepreneurs who have been successful to
come to the table and help people at the very earliest stages when there is
nothing in it for them is also unique," he says in the article.
While there isn't a lot of "organized venture capital" in Kansas City, "angel investors" are abundant, Fishback adds. Once entrepreneurs become successful here, they put that wealth back into the business community. He names one company -- the Kansas Bioscience Authority -- that has $500 million set aside to help make bioscience companies more successful.
"We know the money is here," Fishback says. "All you have to do is
drive down Ward Parkway and look at the kind of houses there and you get to see
in person the entrepreneurial legacy."
The next big thing in business just might be right here in Kansas City.
Image via The Pitch Flickr pool: John Roever
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