A new grant program originating in Wichita is providing an opportunity for innovation for both local entrepreneurs and state maker spaces.
Tuesday, Emporia Main Street invited local media to a presentation by Groover Labs of Wichita detailing a new grant program that was made possible by a $400,000 allocation from the Kansas Department of Commerce as part of the KDOC Accelerating Concepts to Commercialization in Kansas (ACCEL-KS) proof-of-concept program. The ACCEL grants will be made available to entrepreneurs across the state, with a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000 available.
Groover Co-Founder Tracy Hoover says the goal of the grant program is to help rural developers create or enhance scalable products.
The grant application window is currently open and there are two ways entrepreneurs can apply:
For those seeking $5,000 or less, they can apply through rural partners such as Emporia Main Street. For those seeking more than $5,000, they will need to apply online at InnovationKansas.org.
The deadline for applications above $5,000 is September 30, with awards to be announced by October 30. A second application window is set for November 15th, with those awards to be announced in December.
Currently, there is no deadline for grants at or below the $5,000 mark, according to Hoover, as those will be overseen by their rural partners, such as Emporia Main Street. Also, Hoover says successful applicants, specifically those seeking a larger sum than $5,000, should expect to receive their funds “tranches” or bundles rather than one single allocation.
Emporia Main Street Director Casey Woods says this is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs, as capital is often the greatest need to get ideas off the ground.
On top of providing capital to entrepreneurs across the state, Woods says the ACCEL program is also creating a larger-reaching network of collaborative fabrication spaces, such as Emporia Main Street and Groover, among others, which will mean greater access to materials for entrepreneurs across the state.
In addition to Groover in the Wichita metro area, another $400,000 in ACCEL dollars were allocated to the Kansas City metro area, meaning a total of $800,000 is available between areas in which Emporia is located, “Smack-dab in the middle of.” With that in mind, Woods says Emporia finds itself in a unique position to act not only as a conduit for the two largest economies in the state, but also as an advocate for rural innovation.
For questions or more information on the new grant opportunity, visit InnovationKansas.org or call Emporia Main Street at 620-340-6430.
