Kansas City's next-generation entrepreneurs will get a jump-start on their business plans though a worldwide, weeklong event that officially starts Monday.
Global Entrepreneurship Week runs through Nov. 20. It will bring together students, educators, entrepreneurs, prospective entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, nonprofit leaders, government officials and others who will take part in about 20 area activities -- from intimate networking events to large-scale competitions.
Internationally, the event is expected to draw 10 million people in more than 100 countries for more than 40,000 activities.
"The hardest part of being an entrepreneur is starting. Once you get over that hump, you can learn as you go," said Adam Coomes, a global facilitator for Startup Weekend, a 54-hour event that is primarily sponsored by the Kansas City-based Ewing Kauffman Foundation and Cerner Corp., a health care software firm based in North Kansas City.
Startup Weekend got under way Friday night, serving as a leadup to the next week.
"This is one specific week where like-minded people come together for one specific cause -- to spread entrepreneurship," said Coomes. "It inspires us to push forward and create things, to build something good for the world."
Among the area events for Global Entrepreneurship Week:
-- The 2011 Youth Entrepreneurship Summit will start Sunday and run through Tuesday at the Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Road. Sessions will include financing, global trends for women entrepreneurs, international networking, innovation and planning for growth. The event is sold out, but sessions will be available on a webcast at www.kauffman.org.
-- The official kickoff event from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Road, will include free curbside consulting for emerging entrepreneurs, talks by seasoned entrepreneurs, networking sessions and more.
-- A conversation with Danny O'Neill, founder of The Roasterie, at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Kansas City Public Library's Plaza branch, 4801 Main St. The event is free.
-- Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Experienced entrepreneurs will share lessons from the trenches from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Screenland Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd. The cost is $20 for those who pre-register.
-- Kauffman FastTrac -- Global Women's Summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. The event is sold out, but sessions will be webcast.
-- Conversation with Ollie Gates of Gates Bar-B-Q at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kansas City Public Library, 14 W. 10th St. The event is free.
-- Conversation with Clara Reyes, founder of Dos Mundos, at noon Thursday at the Kansas City Public Library, 14 W. 10th St. The event is free.
-- The Youth Entrepreneurs Business for Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. Friday at the Sprint Center. ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen will be the guest speaker. The cost is $75.
