The BALSA Grant is designed for first-time St. Louis entrepreneurs wanting to start or grow their early stage businesses in St. Louis. We welcome applications from all business sectors, and from non-profit as well as for-profit organizations. 

We offer the BALSA Grant to help first time entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground. 

BALSA Grant finalists receive:

• Free (non-dilutive) cash grant of $1,000
• The Learning Series, a 10-week comprehensive entrepreneur training program that helps participants realize their potential,  introduces them to the St. Louis business ecosystem and brings them industry experts every week that also includes one on one time with each presenter after the session. (Valued at $20,000+ in-kind professional services)
• One-on-one mentoring 

You can apply to The BALSA Grant twice a year, January 1-15 and July 1-15. 

Learn more and apply here! 

Interchange is a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance made possible with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Interchange is designed to strengthen communities and individual artists within our region by supporting artist-led projects focused on social impact.

Interchange grants will be awarded to 16 artists with an active, socially engaged creative practice in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region through:

• $20,000 in direct project support
• Professional development retreats with Interchange grantees
• Mentoring
  
  Follow the link to learn more: interchangeartistgrant.art/apply

Digital Sandbox KC: Where Innovators Come to Play (Ongoing)

Digital Sandbox KC brings together people, ideas and resources to build thriving companies. The program provides much needed early-stage funding to rising stars. The region's longtime leaders including private companies, government agencies and universities have united to help this new wave of entrepreneurs. It's an unprecedented metro-wide effort to help make KC America's most entrepreneurial city.

RESULTS SO FAR:
93 proof-of-concept projects funded for area startups
35 new KC-based companies created
53 companies have secured follow-on investment
$38.2 million in follow-on funding
More than 480 new jobs created, with more than $12 million in payroll

Digital Sandbox KC broadly seeks new innovation in information technology.  The Sandbox provides innovators with proof-of-concept resources to support early-stage commercialization processes. The Sandbox may cover expenses for project consultants, market research, legal support, equipment and other market validation, prototyping and beta testing needs.

The Digital Sandbox KC process requires:
- Completion of the Digital Sandbox KC Online Application
- A Meeting/Pitch Evaluation
- A Board Vote

Please keep in mind that this application will be viewed by those evaluating your submission; those participating in your meeting/pitch and by the Sandbox board for voting purposes. Once your application is received, it will be reviewed for completeness and you will be contacted with information regarding next steps. Submission Tip: Thoroughly reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions prior to submission may improve your outcome.

With the financial support of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Downtown Shareholders is pleased to announce the launch of the third round of Pop-Up! Downtown KCK, a retail development initiative to enliven Downtown Kansas City, Kansas. Pop-Up! Downtown KCK matches select entrepreneurs with high-visibility, well-sited spaces at free or reduced rent, and provides an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to test a retail concept or determine whether Downtown KCK is a viable long-term location for their business.

To learn more about this program or to download a funding application, check out our website.

1ST50K is looking for innovative technologies, products, or services, driven by scalable business models with regional, national or international impact. They seek to attract entrepreneurs who are already located in Southeast Missouri and West Kentucky OR are willing to relocate here. Basing your business in Cape Girardeau, Missouri or Paducah, Kentucky is a prerequisite for receiving a grant. ST50K Startup Competition is an industry-agnostic competition. Their focus is on supporting businesses that are innovative and scalable, regardless of the industry.

The deadline to submit an application to the program is May 22nd 2022. Teams can apply by visiting https://www.codefiworks.com/1st50k. 

Applications must be completed fully and teams must agree to locate to Cape Girardeau, Missouri or Paducah, Kentucky for at least one year if selected as a grant recipient to be eligible.

Eligible applications are entered into a round where the initial reviewing is completed by three to five of our judges. The pool is narrowed for Zoom video call interviews and from there down to a group that is selected by our competition committee to be invited to Pitch Day in late July.

The committee bases their decisions on the innovation of the product, technology, or service; product-market fit; the scalability of the business model; the total impact; qualities and coach ability of the team; well-understood and defined problem; and 1ST50K impact. 

The pitches are slide deck presentations to a group of 10-15 individuals, closed to the public. Each applicant will have 30 minutes in total – 10 minute pitch and 20 minutes of Q&A.; The committee deliberates, completes their due diligence, and awardees are typically announced within two weeks.

Applicants not selected as awardees from one round may use the feedback they have received to reapply for the next.

Missouri TechLaunch supports life science and technology startups through matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $100,000 for the purpose of technology and business development.
The Missouri TechLaunch program was created in order to support early-stage, Missouri entrepreneurs develop technologies, build businesses and create jobs across Missouri.

Investment Process:

1. The annual application process opens and applicants are invited to fill out the application (link below).
2. Applications close after about a month and MTC staff reviews all applications.
3. All applicants are notified of whether they are invited to present to the MTC investment Committee approximately one (1) month after applications close. Those who are not selected to move forward are welcome to set up a time to discuss their application with MTC staff.
4. The MTC Investment Committee meets and selected companies pitch. The Investment Committee will make funding recommendations, and presenting companies are notified within a week.
5. The MTC Board of Directors will meet to review and approve the recommendations.
6. The due diligence process will begin for selected companies.

In order to qualify for a Missouri TechLaunch investment a company must:

1. Be based in Missouri;
2. Have a proprietary or protectable intellectual property;
3. Be in the pre-seed financing stage;
4. Have, at the time of closing, an actual third party dollar-for-dollar matching investment for MTC funds;
5. Fit into at least one of MTC’s five focus areas – animal health, plant science, biomedical science, applied engineering (software), and defense and homeland security; and
6. Complete the application process.

Contact for Questions
Please email info@missouritechnology.com

 Learn more and apply here!

The SEED fund supports technology startups through matching equity or convertible debt investments up to $500,000 for the purpose of technology and business development.

The Missouri SEED Capital Co-Investment program was created to support Missouri's early-stage entrepreneurs in developing technologies, and creating jobs across Missouri while positioning companies for future venture capital investment. 

Investment Process:

1. The annual application process opens and applicants are invited to fill out the application (link below).
2. Applications close after about a month, and MTC staff reviews all applications.
3. All applicants are notified of whether they are invited to present to the MTC Investment Committee approximately one (1) month after applications close. Those who are not selected to move forward are welcome to set up a time to discuss their application with MTC staff.
4. The MTC Investment Committee meets and selected companies pitch. The Investment Committee will make funding recommendations, and presenting companies are notified within a week.
5. The MTC Board of Directors will meet to review and approve the recommendations.
6. The due diligence process will begin for selected companies.

In order to qualify for a Missouri SEED investment a company must:

1. Be based in Missouri;
2. Have a proprietary or protectable intellectual property;
3. Be in the seed financing stage;
4. Have, at the time of closing, an actual third party dollar-for-dollar matching investment for MTC funds;
5. Fit into at least one of MTC’s five focus areas – animal health, plant science, biomedical science, applied engineering (software), and defense and homeland security; and
6. Complete the application process.

Contact for Questions
Please email info@missouritechnology.com

Learn more and apply here! 

The Emerging Leaders Initiative is an intensive executive-level series intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America’s underserved cities.  Developed by SBA and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in urban communities across the country, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to catapult your company to the next level and help it emerge as a force in your community.

Do I qualify to participate?

This training is for established business owners and is not for start-ups or people who are thinking about starting a business. The Emerging Leaders Initiative advanced training series is open to small business owners and executives that:

• Have annual revenues of at least $250,000
• Have been in business for at least 3 years
• Have at least one employee, other than self

What are the key program highlights? 

• Customized training for “C” (CEO, COO, etc.) level executives with demonstrated business sustainability of at least 3 years in business and annual revenue of at least $250K 
• Participant recruitment begins in February through SBA’s local district offices and classes typically begin in April
• A three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets to help the participant emerge as self-sustaining businesses that creates jobs and build communities
• Includes 100 + hours of professional specialized training and peer-to-peer counseling delivered over the course of seven months
• Specialized areas of training include:
  • Growth Strategies Plans
  • Financing and Access to Capital
  • Government Contracting
  • CEO Mentoring

What types of businesses participate in the program?

There are currently no restrictions on the types of businesses that can participate. Some examples of participating businesses include:  manufacturers, retail/wholesalers, contractors, professional services and food service.

In what ways does the training help my business?

The training is specifically designed to stimulate and support the expansion of your business. The curriculum provides strategies to help you access new avenues of capital. It offers practical tools to pursue new paths for business development. It surrounds you with a network of government resources and local business leaders prepared to invest time and energy in your business.

What are the overall benefits of participation? 

The end result of the executive education prepares and encourages small businesses to move to the next level on their growth trajectory and to help them emerge as self-sustaining businesses that create jobs and build communities.  At the conclusion of the training, entrepreneurs produce a three-year strategic growth action plan with benchmarks and performance targets that will help them access the necessary support and resources to move forward.  

Is participation in the Emerging Leaders Initiative free?

The only cost is your time and commitment to complete the curriculum over the course of seven months. All other costs are covered by SBA and our local partners. 

Learn more and apply here!

While COVID-19 took a tremendous toll on our lives and livelihoods, it also unleashed a wave of creativity and energy as our community developed responses to the pandemic. Comeback KC Ventures is an effort to help turn the innovative solutions developed during the pandemic into a permanent part of our economic recovery. The Comeback KC Ventures program is designed to highlight new solutions that have emerged in response to COVID-19 and to support entrepreneurs developing these solutions into ongoing products, service lines, and businesses.

Here are the specific ways you can get involved:

• Share solutions you have seen that have impact and promise
• Participate in an upcoming discovery workshop
• Serve as a mentor to Comeback KC Venture Fellows

As solutions are discovered, and on a rolling basis, at least 20 entrepreneurs will be invited to become part of a Comeback KC Venture Fellows group. Through Comeback KC Venture Fellows, entrepreneurs will importantly connect with each other, but also to training, counseling, and industry experts help provide needed support to rapidly develop solutions to meet these opportunities.

Each Comeback KC Venture Fellow will:

• Create and meet with an advisory board
• Build community through peer-to-peer roundtables
• Increase visibility to investors
• Attend classes and educational sessions
• Have an opportunity and get application support for funding through programs like SBIR and Digital Sandbox

This program is being funded through an 18-month grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, led by KC Digital Drive and the UMKC Innovation Center and is open to people that reside within the 9-county Kansas City region. We are hoping to sprint toward 10 new high-growth potential companies that generate 30 new jobs and $5 million in follow-on funding by October 2022.

All Participants are encouraged to apply for Digital Sandbox KC proof-of-concept project support.  An average of $20,000 in direct technical assistance is available per project. See www.digitalsandbox.kc.com

SLUStart I-Corps is a program managed by the Research Innovation Group in Saint Louis University's Office of the Vice President for Research. It is designed to help academic researchers, community inventors and innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the St. Louis region extend their focus beyond academia, the laboratory, and the workshop so that they create successful products and services that deliver real value.

By participating in SLUStart I-Corps you can get help pursuing your innovation or new venture concept and possibly qualify for up to $50,000 in non-dilutive financial support.

SLUStart I-Corps helps participants ensure that their research and innovations will have greater economic and societal benefit. It integrates the original SLUStart program and the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Site program at Saint Louis University. As such, SLUStart I-Corps projects that qualify as NSF I-Corps Site projects have full access to the NSF I-Corps ecosystem.

SLUStart I-Corps aims to:

• Train participants in the lean startup methodology (i.e., customer development process) popularized by Steve Blank.
• Increase the quality and impact of research conducted at Saint Louis University.
• Advance the commercialization of SLU intellectual properties.
• Increase the effectiveness of inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the St. Louis, Missouri region.
• Increase the participation of underrepresented groups, such as women and African-Americans, in entrepreneurship and the technology industry.

SLUStart I-Corps holds cohorts on a rolling basis throughout the year.  It also partners with local community-based organizations to reach target populations and deliver the SLUStart I-Corps curriculum.  SLUStart I-Corps partners include:

• Arch Grants
• Inventors Association of St. Louis
• IT Entrepreneurs Network (ITEN)
• Veterans Business Resource Center

If you have questions about SLUStart I-Corps, contact Malcolm Townes in the Research Innovation Group at malcolm.townes@slu.edu. To participate in the program, submit your application.

To submit your Application
https://www.cognitoforms.com/SaintLouisUniversityResearchInnovationGroup/SLUStartICorpsApplication

For More information:
https://www.slu.edu/research/faculty-resources/research-innovation-group/slustart-icorps.php?utm_campaign=St.%20Louis&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter

Up to $1,000 available to Missouri retail locations that carry Missouri Grown products.   JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, the Missouri Department of Agriculture announced funding for the Missouri Grown Retail Promotion Matching Grant through the Missouri Grown program. The grant awards up to $1,000 for reimbursement of expenses associated with promoting Missouri Grown member products at retail locations in Missouri.   This competitive grant program will provide advertising funds to Missouri retail locations that sell products from a minimum of five Missouri Grown member companies. The grant raises awareness to communities about the products grown, raised and produced by members of the Missouri Grown program. The grant also improves understanding of raising food and promotes agriculture in those communities.   To be eligible, retail locations must carry product from a minimum of five Missouri Grown member companies. Projects must be matched on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis to meet eligibility.   Examples of qualifying expenses may include permanent signage, billboards, radio spots, digital or print advertisement. Awardees must include the Missouri Grown logo on promotional materials and be prepared to submit receipts for dispersed funds, scripts of radio advertisements and copies of any artwork created.   Ineligible expenses include food, employee payroll, donations, infrastructure, equipment, clothing and reprinting of existing promotional material.   The maximum award amount for each retail location is $1,000. Applications are due December 1, 2021. To apply, visit the Retail Promotion Matching Grant page for a full list of program requirements, a grant timeline and printable application.   For more information about the this grant or other grant opportunities available through the Missouri Department of Agriculture, visit the Department online at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

In honor of Innovation Day, join us for an IdeaBounce® and pitch your best, innovative idea. Receive feedback from local community leaders, network with fellow students, alumni, and faculty, and make connections.

This event is open to everyone. Prizes will be awarded to those with the best ideas! Sign up to pitch or to cheer on your favorite ideas – all are welcome!

Wednesday, February 16, 2022 @4:00pm - 5:30pm

Skandalaris Center, Mallinckrodt 128, 6465 Forsyth Blvd #128, St. Louis, MO 63105

Registration: https://skandalaris.wustl.edu/event/2022/01/06/innovation-day-ideabounce/

The grant funds are in turn granted to projects and organizations to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.”

Applications will be evaluated by a team of external reviewers. The team will rate proposals on their ability to successfully promote specialty crops in Kansas and make a positive impact on the Kansas economy. Those recommendations will be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, who will make the final awards.

Applications are due to KDA no later than 5:00 p.m. CST on March 31, 2022. For more information, please download and carefully read the 2022 KDA Request for Applications from the KDA website: agriculture.ks.gov/specialtycrop.

Arch Grants is on a worldwide search for innovative, diverse early-stage startups looking to take their business to the next level. The Arch Grants Startup Competition awards innovative, scalable, and job-creating startups with $75,000 non-dilutive grants (plus an additional $25,000 for companies relocating to St. Louis) and access to an ecosystem of resources in exchange for headquartering their business in St. Louis for at least one year. Competition applications are evaluated by over 400 industry experts from the St. Louis community and around the country.

Apply here: https://arch-grants.smapply.org/prog/2022_arch_grants_startup_competition/

Pitch your business idea for a chance to win up to $1,000!

Do you have a big idea for a new business? Are you looking for some validation? Or maybe some CASH? You're invited to pitch your idea at Pitch Fest for a chance to win up to $1,000! Pitch Fest will kick off with Round 1 on April 20th. Six participants from the first round will move on to Round 2 on April 27th. From there, 4 finalists will advance to the grand finale for an opportunity to win $1,000 on May 12th in the Pitch Competition at EPIC 2022. EPIC 2022 is OzSBI's signature annual event and widely attended by business owners, community leaders, and area stakeholders. Pitching to this crowd will give you the opportunity to validate your business idea and receive invaluable feedback from the perfect audience. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to win up to $1,000 cash that you can use to help launch your business!

Deadline to Register: April 15, 2022

Round 1: April 20, 2022

Round 2: April 27, 2022

Final Round: May 12, 2022 at EPIC 22

Registration Link: https://ozsbi.com/events/pitchfest-2022

Technology and innovation companies applying for an SBIR/STTR grant, can get help completing their application with help from the Missouri SBDC!

The Missouri SBDC is awarding 20 grants to Missouri technology companies to specifically help these companies hire grant-writing assistance to get their applications over the finish line. The grants are in the amount of $2,500.

Those interested in applying must be based in Missouri, a current Missouri SBDC client or willing to become a client, and be applying for a Federal SBIR/STTR grant.

Interested innovators are encouraged to apply as early as possible. The grants are awarded on an ongoing basis and reviewed individually for fit.

Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kvWu-N97dt70QBSaFdmLUCaUdBkBUeADFCr-g0EM0Xs/viewform?ts=61eb1f85&edit_requested=true

Capital Innovators provides startups with the resources and connections they need to reach the next level.  Through proprietary processes and techniques developed and iterated on over the program's 10-year history, the Accelerator Program has consistently been ranked as one of the top programs in the United States.

The Capital Innovators Startup Accelerator Program, based in St.Louis, MO, provides tech startups with:

• Seed Funding
• Mentorship
• Access to a Network of Global Startups
• Connections to Customers and Strategic Partners
• Co-Working Space in St. Louis

Apply Here: https://www.f6s.com/capital-innovators-fall-2022-cohort/apply