By Trish Svoboda

K-State 105 and StartUp Hutch Join Forces to Boost Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Hutchinson and Reno County

The collaboration between K-State 105 and StartUp Hutch aims to broaden the scope of entrepreneurial services in Reno County by introducing an Entrepreneur Navigator, also known as E-Navigator, to the StartUp Hutch team.

The E-Navigator, a pilot initiative, will serve as a bridge connecting local entrepreneurs, encouraging partnerships, and aiding new business ventures in Reno County.

“We truly believe that all communities can experience economic growth through strategies that start at the local level, and our new K-State 105 partnership with StartUp Hutch aims to do just that by taking an innovative approach with the local entrepreneurship program,” said Jessica Gnad, K-State 105 director. “Through K-State 105, we are supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses across all 105 counties, and it’s exciting to help this program expand in Reno County.” Under the collaboration, StartUp Hutch will enhance its offerings by recruiting an extra team member dedicated to the ongoing organization and implementation of entrepreneurial initiatives within the community.

Additional collaborators in the initiative include NetWork Kansas, Hutchinson Community College, and K-State Research and Extension.

StartUp Hutch is a constituent of the NetWork Kansas E-Community Program, an acronym for Entrepreneurship Community. This program is a statewide initiative with 73 participating locations that foster entrepreneurial endeavors. NetWork Kansas will oversee the expansion of the program at StartUp Hutch, with the aspiration to emulate this model across other E-Community sites throughout the state.