Kansas City-based Accelerator SparkLabKC Launched Today

Meg Rayford Jan 23, 2013 Tweet

A new Kansas City business accelerator targeting early-stage Internet startups launched today.  SparkLabKC will select 10 companies to participate in an intense, in-residence program providing seed capital, mentors, and business advisory services through public-private partnerships.

“Our accelerator solves the two fundamental problems for early-stage startup companies – the experience gap and the capital gap,” said Kevin Fryer, SparkLabKC managing director and Kansas City entrepreneur.  “We provide a deep pool of mentors who are seasoned entrepreneurs as well as seed capital and access to investors. Startups that have been through this kind of program have a superior track record of generating new companies, new jobs and achieving a significant impact in their communities.”

Selected companies will receive the following benefits:

• Seed capital of up to $18,000
• More than 80 mentors with deep experience across virtually every industry
• Free workspace
• Legal, accounting, financial and human resources advisory services
• A formal prototype demonstration day for potential investors

“I have seen this approach generate some remarkable startup companies including Dropbox and Airbnb,” said Evan Conway, president of OneLouder, a mobile app developer and SparkLabKC sponsor. “As an entrepreneur in the Internet space, I genuinely wish the many startups I have known could have had this advantage. This is a good day for startup companies in Kansas City.”

Find more information, including an application, at www.SparkLabKC.com