Accelerate the Heartland is Wichita’s newest entrepreneur event

Accelerate the Heartland on Oct. 5 is an expanded and rebranded version of the former annual Great Plains Capital Conference with a panel discussion, speaker and company demos.

The various events will be at the Wichita Marriott, 9100 E. Corporate Hills Drive. Organizers are soliciting startups to show or pitch their companies. The event includes:

▪ 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.: Innovation Showcase. Companies in various stages of starting up can show off their products or services.

▪ 8:30-9 a.m.: Networking and coffee.

▪ 9-10 a.m.: 1 Million Cups Wichita. A special edition of the weekly startup pitching event.

▪ 10:30-11:45 a.m.: “Opening the Kimono” — panel discussion on what venture investors look for and how to get them interested in a project. The panel will have representatives from Royal Street Investment Partners, BCBS of Kansas New Ventures and the Midwest Venture Alliance.

▪ Noon-1:45 p.m.: Luncheon and speaker Victor Hwang, vice president of Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation.

▪ 2-3:30 p.m.: Venture Pitch by six companies looking to expand markets and add strategic partners.

▪ 3:45-5:15 p.m.: e2e Accelerator Demo Day by the first group of new businesses to complete Wichita’s e2e accelerator program.

▪ 5:15-6:45 p.m.: Reception and networking.

Tickets for attendees are $59 to $299.

This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Accelerate the Heartland is Wichita’s newest entrepreneur event."