Wichita Startup Week 2022 Recap

We were thrilled to host Wichita Startup Week 2022 again this year. As the central location for startup activity in Wichita, we’re a natural fit. There were more than 30 sessions, almost all of which took place at Groover Labs. We loved having so many enthusiastic founders and startup ecosystem supporters here throughout the week. They brought the energy and vibe we want to foster within our community.

We heard from local business leaders like Jon Rolph, president and CEO of Thrive Restaurant Group, and Wayne Bell, district director for the U.S. Small Business Administration. The organizers brought in speakers like Rob Desantis, co-founder of Ariba and Arkestro, as well as an early investor in LinkedIn; and Jon Darbyshire, a native Kansan who cut his teeth at Price Waterhouse before leading Ernst and Young’s global technology practice. His current startup, SmartSuite, is a no-code collaborative work management platform. Local speakers included devICT’s Seth Etter, who discussed ruthless simplicity in software design; and Keaton Taylor, a senior product designer at Discord, who discussed the value of meaningful design in product development.

This was the first year for WSW’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion track. Claudio Amaro, owner of AB&C Billingual Resources and founder of Paneta VenusOnline, discussed the principles behind “No English, No Service,” while Alejo Cabral, program director of the Create Campaign, discussed Rising Tide Capital’s national mentorship program. The DEI keynote, LaShonda Garnes, owner and principal of LG Consulting, shared stories about helping organizations start their institutional journeys with topics focused on inclusion, equity, and diversity.

We saw former members from the Ringorang team, who have since grown into their new space at the Garvey Building. We hosted an early afternoon pop-up happy hour after Robert Feeney of Ringorang shared his experience selling to enterprise organizations, Jason Toevs of Revelar talked about NFTs and Web3, and WSU’s Doug Stucky presented how to think digital-first in the twenty-first century to grow the bottom line.

This year, the Wichita Startup Week organizers allotted more time and space for the trade show. Attendees and vendors alike enjoyed massive charcuterie trays from Rent-the-Chef and an open bar set up in the kitchenette. Dana McCall’s Legacy of Negasi won the Cox Business Pitch Competition. Her infectious energy filled the room.

Friday brought Wichita Startup Week to a close with a presentation from Dr. Eric C. Mota, a faculty member in entrepreneurship at Wichita State University, followed by the Founders Roundtable and a wrap up by former Spirit Aerosystems CEO Jeff Turner at the Petroleum Club.

We loved seeing so many members of the Wichita startup community, and the energy they brought to our building last week. We look forward to next year!

Apply for Wichita Startup Week's Trade Show

You’ve probably heard that Wichita Startup Week 2022 is just around the corner, and it’s happening at Groover Labs. We hosted the first annual Startup Week last year, and we’re excited to host it again this year. One of the events, the Trade Show, will take place in our hotseat area on Thursday, October 13, from 1-5 p.m. The trade show organizers hope to showcase anything from the first inkling of a startup idea all the way through to a growing company.

If you’d like to apply as a trade show participant, click here.

All trade show attendees will be able to mingle with the participates, ask questions about products and services, and, of course, vote for a variety of different awards. If you’re looking for feedback on an idea, you’d like to meet new and potential customers, or you’d like to chat with some of the investors that plan to attend Wichita Startup Week 2022, then the trade show is a great place to set up shop.

We suggest registering as quickly as possible. Space is limited, and participant slots are filling up!