The inaugural Kansas Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference will be held in Kingman County in June 2025 and Courtland in June 2026. This event, part of the K-State 105 initiative, aims to promote small communities by showcasing people, businesses, and strategies for fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. The conference is open to all Kansans and will last two days in each host community.
The conference is supported by K-State 105 and partners including K-State Research and Extension, NetWork Kansas, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Thrive Kansas. Over 25 Kansas communities applied to host the conference, with the requirement that the host site be a small city with fewer than 10,000 residents.
The goal of the conference is to build entrepreneurial capacity by sharing knowledge and resources. The event will follow a national Extension model, bringing together local entrepreneurs, community leaders, and state partners to exchange best practices and discuss regional planning. It aims to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit in Kansas’s small towns, support local growth, and empower communities to shape their futures.
