Emporia civic leaders are continuing conversations about expanding the city’s technology business sector.
Discussions have been underway for some time, but they took a sharper focus after the city was named as a contestant for a federal i6 challenge grant. Ultimately, the city did not receive the three-year, $750,000 grant, but Main Street Director Casey Woods says that effort has spurred additional talks between city leaders, Lyon County, school districts, Emporia State, Flint Hills Technical College and private business. He says a technology-based business initiative is vital for the city and Lyon County.
Woods says local work on business incubation is underway with Main Street’s incubator space now operational. Efforts on so-called “distributed workforce,” or remote employment, continue as well. Education-based discussions will also rev up at both the school and college level on how best to focus local talent and get the community more invested in funding entrepreneurs.
Woods recently attended a conference, which provided insight into growth and development, both at the city and business levels, while avoiding mistakes other cities have made as they also prepare for a more tech-based economy.
