On November 20, we hosted an Open House for all ACCEL-KS grant recipients and applicants. The day’s objective? Introduce everybody who applied for a grant to our Ecosystem Support Partners - our group of consultants, strategists, IP experts, and programming partners.
From a pool of over 50 applications, 19 entrepreneurs and their teams were selected to receive proof-of-concept funding up to $25,000, with 30% of recipients coming from rural counties in Kansas.
Groover Labs Co-founder Tracy Hoover delivers opening remarks.
The event begin with welcoming remarks from Romaine Redman, Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at the Kansas Department of Commerce, who set the tone for the day: “No one is going to deliver prosperity for us,” Redman said. “That’s something that we have to build internally by our own strength, our own minds, our own ideas, and our own possibilities.”
Grant Recipients Present
Next came grant recipient introductions. Each took the stage to talk for a few minutes about their projects. Grant Johnson talked about Chatterbox Studios, an AI language learning app. Tom Chi talked about wearable drones for first responders. Sarah Easdon from Grace Heritage Farms talked about virtual fencing for ruminant animals. Rye Kennedy talked about a device to predict wind turbine failures. From aerospace kit aircraft to AI-powered home inventory systems, from first responder glove accessories to freight logistics platforms, the diversity demonstrated by the grant recipients demonstrated how much innovation is happening in Kansas.
ACCEL-KS Open House attendees network before the event.
Speed Dating
After the recipients came the Ecosystem Support Partners, who delivered lightning talks about their capabilities. We took a short break before opening the floor to what we colloquially described as speed dating. Partners set up booths, and grant recipients, along with applicants who did not receive funding, went from booth to booth, discussing their projects and scheduling follow-up meetings for more in-depth conversations.
We were unsure how the event would go - we couldn’t think of one like this in Wichita in recent memory.
We’re happy to report it was a resounding success.
The grant recipients did a fantastic job presenting to the audience of around 80 attendees. For several of the recipients, this was their first time giving any type of pitch, and most have little to no formal training. Studies suggest, and it’s no great secret, that public speaking is one of the top fears for a majority of the population, so we’re proud of those who overcame their anxieties and stepped on stage.
Vice President of the Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization at Wichita State University Rob Gerlach talks about how to support grant recipients and ACCEL-KS applicants.
All ACCEL-KS participants, whether they received funding or not, are eligible for programming, including through courses like CAMPFIRE and NXTUS cohorts, which train founders on startup practices like how to pitch to investors. Think of it like this: the grant recipients set their baseline. Now, they build.
Outcomes
Since the event, we’ve seen a lot of exciting activity. Several grant recipients, as well as applicants who received no funding, have signed up for CAMPFIRE (45% full, starting in March) and NXTUS’ Customer Traction Cohort (starts in January). Others have signed up for Hotseat and Bench Memberships at Groover Labs. It’s been our experience since we opened that some of the biggest problems get solved in our coffee bar, hotseat area, and conference rooms. Being around a community of motivated entrepreneurs has its perks, so long as you show up.
Driven by What If, Why Not?
As Tracy reminded us, at Groover Labs, we often think of Co-founder Curt Gridley, who challenged us to be “driven by what if, why not?”. Watching the grant recipients stand before a crowd, some nervous and all motivated, it was clear to us that spirit is alive and well across Kansas.