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As a cornerstone of our city's economic development, entrepreneurship fosters innovation, creates jobs, and empowers individuals to shape their own futures. More importantly, it plays a crucial role in building a more inclusive economy, providing opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to succeed. 

At EDCKC, we are committed to supporting entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and networks they need to thrive, knowing that their success contributes not only to a stronger local economy but also to a more equitable and resilient Kansas City for all. The 6 primary ways we do this work spans programs for early stage founders, to legislative advocacy for entrepreneurial support resources in Jefferson City.  

Flagship Program on a Roll 

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. 

The LaunchKC Grants Program and Social Venture Studio have seen tremendous success over the last several years

On November 19th, the ‘24-’25 LaunchKC Grants Competition winners were announced to over 300 attendees at the highly-anticipated LaunchKC Liftoff celebration.

The seven companies include: 

Cybership - Transforms warehouse management with an affordable, modern WMS platform that unifies operations, inventory, and order management in one intuitive system, making enterprise-grade logistics technology accessible to 3PLs of all sizes.

Hilltop Technologies - A cybersecurity company specializing in innovative Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions and managed security services. Dedicated to advancing cybersecurity, Hilltop leverages cutting-edge technology and is committed to cultivating the next generation of cyber talent.

Roz - AI-powered automation and intelligence to turn compliance into a strategic advantage, enabling leaders to make faster, smarter, risk-informed decisions and drive business growth. 

Scout - An AAHA-compliant web-based application that streamlines dental and anesthesia workflows for veterinary hospitals. By replacing paper forms, Scout improves accuracy, boosts efficiency, and helps teams focus on patient care.

Sisu - A mental health platform that combines software and telehealth services, providing organizations with a holistic scalable, data-driven solution to support mental health with a multi-stakeholder approach.

SourceEazy - The first operating system designed to streamline the promotional industry’s supply chain by simplifying sourcing, production, and distribution through automated technology.

StoryTailor - A bibliotherapy platform enabling families to create personalized stories that foster emotional expression and self-discovery through the power of storytelling. 

Social Venture Studio Celebrates 3rd Year 

The award-winning LaunchKC program addresses critical social challenges through sustainable business practices that stimulate job growth and regional investment. This past year, seven social entrepreneurs were selected to benefit from peer learning, mentorship and grant support. In total, 21 companies have participated in the national award-winning program - 2022 Excellence in Economic Development Award from IEDC. Learn More >>

Support for Small Businesses 



At the beginning of this year, in collaboration with The KC BizCare Office and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we were 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
• $39.5K in 6 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)

Visit bizcare.kcmo.gov/capital or email smbcapital@edckc.com to learn more.