Technology Venture Studio helps move early-stage innovations from concept to reality—all to create jobs and economic impact, attract more equity funding to our region and establish Kansas City as a tech hub.
Access to support
At its core, Technology Venture Studio helps tech entrepreneurs build momentum to grow and scale their businesses. Through access to innovations, early-stage funding, connections to investors, and community events we provide innovators with key resources to build their companies and move to market faster.
Access to capital
Early-stage grant programs and equity investments pressurize the pipeline for later investment. The Technology Venture Studio and the entire UMKC Innovation Center team works in this space to monitor the capital continuum, improve access to capital, garner community and corporate support and help companies survive the “valley of death” to achieve ultimate economic impact.
Access to innovation
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or investor, the Studio gives you early access to homegrown innovations. Entrepreneurs and business owners can tap into technologies that are ready for licensing through Whiteboard 2 Boardroom. Investors and corporate leaders can get an early-line of sight to tech and innovative startups through Digital Sandbox KC portfolio companies.
Access to investors
We build bridges and connections between entrepreneurs and investors to help accelerate regional innovations—from the proof-of-concept funding of Digital Sandbox KC to the investor education and network of KCInvestED and through CapitalMatch, a matching tool that helps educate investors and entrepreneurs about early-stage capital.
Access to expertise
The Studio provides wrap-around support to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, training and connections they need to navigate each phase of early-stage innovation. We help them test their ideas and build their go-to-market strategy, build their network of fellow tech entrepreneurs and mentors, prepare to pitch to investors, create and recruit their startup board and prepare for SBIR/STTR funding.
Access to community
Powerful collaborations grow powerful business. Through Studio programs like Sound Bytes, CapitalMatch, Board Match and Technology Roundtables, we’re helping invigorate our region’s tech culture and make Kansas City a hub for entrepreneurial talent and innovation.
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