News from the MOSourceLink Network: Our Afternoon in Kirksville, Missouri

Each quarter we head into Missouri’s entrepreneurial communities to talk to our Resource Partners about what they need to help the state’s entrepreneurs. These are the folks who are heads down in every community across the state, helping aspiring business owners get started and helping established ones grow, increase revenues and create jobs.

That’s a key part of what we do here at MOSourceLink: build bridges between our service organizations and business owners—because we know entrepreneurs and the businesses they create are better and stronger when they are connected. We do that best when we hit the ground running and go into our communities to meet with the very people we connect and serve.

And this is why we hold quarterly Resource Partner meetings, held in different locations throughout the state. Through activity, discussion and interactive support, we conduct mini think tanks that allow us to tackle issues that we are facing and more importantly, figure out how to build collaborations to repair them. Each Resource Partner meeting gives us a chance to learn how we are serving Missouri’s entrepreneurs and to make connections that can fill gaps and advance entrepreneurship locally and statewide.

We also use our meetings to check in with our Resource Partners about their recent wins and new offerings they may have for Missouri’s entrepreneurs. Here’s what’s happening in the MOSourceLink network.

• This quarter’s host, Kirksville Regional Economic Development Inc., received a MOBEC grant from the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC).Through the MOBEC program, MTC makes strategic investments that expand the support system for entrepreneurs that are commercializing new technologies or that enhance the capacity of Missouri to grow its innovation economy, including helping organizations like K-REDI increase its capacity. K-REDI is looking forward to putting it to great use by upgrading its Square 1 Incubator. With an uptick in main street entrepreneurs and microenterprises, the city of Kirksville is steadily growing and looking forward to reaching out to the other counties and communities it serves in the area. It is also working on funding for its small business counseling clients.   

• Let’s welcome Jennifer Presberry to her new role with MU Extension . She is amped to support community engagement and connection.

• Missouri’s Innovation Center is working to support the expansion it has seen in high-growth ventures and with a full innovation-led lab and incubator.

• Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) has had some noteworthy exits that are exciting for the communities it will be touching. It has also been working on pilot collaborations with the DED, expanding the services that are available for startups. Also welcome Tori Benson to the MTC team!

• ITEN  just published its 2018 Impact Report, focusing on the economic impact of the tech companies they’ve been working with for the past year. It has also released its entrepreneurial pathway and ecosystem map of resources specific to the St. Louis region.

• BioSTL is working on a Kaufman Foundation-supported project involving the Missouri Innovation Policy Network that is working toward understanding and connecting entrepreneurs with policy dialogue across the state. The goal is to stop being reactionary to policy and build a sustained platform for proactive advocacy for policy that is supportive to entrepreneurs. 

• Start Here is a new regional, business acceleration network in west-central Missouri focused on supporting rural entrepreneurs in west-central Missouri. Start Here is a collaborative effort amongst regional organizations. Learn more about it on our blog.