Partnerships

 Great Plains Development Inc. provides professional leadership and technical assistance in financing, loan packaging, and business planning to individuals, businesses, and government agencies for the purpose of stimulating economic development within their 28 county district. Their resources include programs that assist their cities and counties with community improvement, housing, and urgent need.  

 The Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center is a private operating foundation working in the twenty-six northwest Kansas counties. They provide economic and entrepreneurial assistance to businesses and entrepreneurs as well as provide capital for entrepreneurs to develop business concepts. NWKS Economic Innovation hopes Northwest Kansas can grow in population and progress economic innovation. 

The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) is committed to advancing rural Kansas through comprehensive planning and development services. Its primary service area includes 12 counties and 83 cities in North Central Kansas. NCRPC provides a broad range of programs and services including community planning and development, business finance, housing, weatherization, information technology, and health/safety-related initiatives.  

 TDI provides a broad range of services and project management resources to both private industry and university researchers to advance the commercial readiness of new products and technologies. TDI employs a number of industry experienced engineers and business professionals that work directly with clients to identify tasks which need to be completed to move projects forward. These tasks include product engineering and prototyping, intellectual property, commercialization, R&D, design and fabrication, and simulation component analysis.  

The KSU Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship works to enhance the talent pipeline in order to help build economic and social prosperity through innovation and the entrepreneurial mindset. The purpose of the college is to provide excellent undergraduate and graduate degree programs that will prepare students to become successful professionals in an increasingly diverse and interconnected workplace. KSU Entrepreneurship also provides online non-credit courses about creating Effective Business Plans and Strategic Innovation. Become a member for access and a discount code! 

Founded in 2011 out of Kansas State University Semiconductor Materials and Radiological Technologies Lab (SMART), Radiation Detection Technologies Inc. focuses on manufacturing quality radiation detectors and detector readout electronic technologies for use in multiple industries including healthcare, defense, and energy. With continued research and development, RDT aims to help solve radiation detection problems and improve traditional technologies in the radiation detection industry. 

Entrepreneurship throughout Kansas City is connected through KCSourceLink. Several organizations have partnered with KCSourceLink across a 18-county bistate metro area to provide resources for entrepreneurs and business owners to start, grow, and accelerate their business. Their services range from business planning and marketing to website development and contracting, and loan programs. 

 Based in the heart of the Flint Hills, Tallgrass Solutions is a distributor of a wide range of products and technologies developed and produced here in the American Midwest.  Tallgrass was created to enable small manufacturing companies to take advantage of an experienced marketing and sales team to assist them in reaching a wider customer base around the world. 

 ToolingU-SME forms the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of manufacturing-specific, professional development training products and services. They have continuously evolved and increased their ability to provide manufacturers and educators with workforce development solutions that help them develop their people. Thousands of companies and hundreds of education institutions are partnered with ToolingU-SME to benefit from workforce development.  

 As the State's lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Some of their programs and services include business incentives, community development assistance, creative arts industries commission, export assistance, federal opportunity zones, minority and women business development, and workforce services.  

 The Kansas SBDC is a part of the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States. They help new business owners realize their dreams of owning a business and assist existing business owners in their efforts to remain competitive. The team of advisers have a purpose to help business owners achieve their goals in a complex marketplace, help prepare thorough and complete business plans, training, and consulting. All SBDC services are free and confidential.  

 NetWork Kansas is cultivating an entrepreneurial environment throughout Kansas by overseeing a robust and collaborative partner network. NetWork Kansas also provides a variety of matching loan programs designed to support private capital for startups and expanding businesses and offers a state wide resources referral series that connects entrepreneurs with expertise, education, and economic resources throughout the state.  

 The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps Americans start, build, and grow businesses. The SBA was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. Some services that the SBA provides is access to capital, entrepreneurial development, government contracting, and advocacy.  

 USDA Rural Development is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. They offer loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs, support economic development, and essential services such as housing, healthcare, first-responder services and equipment, and communications infrastructure. USDA promotes economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks, credit unions, and community managed lending pools.