Last edited 9:47 a.m., Feb. 18, 2014Springfield entrepreneurs could soon get a helping hand from the national 1 Million Cups program.
Originally launched in April 2012 in Kansas City,
1MC aims to connect and educate entrepreneurs over cups of coffee and conversation across the country.
The
program launches in Springfield on Feb. 26, along with Sioux Falls, S.D., Shreveport, La., and Prince William County, Va., bringing the 1MC national network to 29 cities.
The program’s model is consistent in each location. Every Wednesday morning, one or two early-stage scalable startups present their companies to an audience of mentors, advisers and other entrepreneurs. Each founder presents for six minutes and then fields audience questions, ideas and suggestions for another 20 minutes, according to a news release from the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
Springfield businessmen Rick Thomas of R&R&Co., Sterling Huff Jr. of Southern Missouri Bank and Devin Dillon of DK Financial Group organized the event after attending 1MC events in Kansas City, St. Louis and Tulsa, Okla., on a regular basis.
"Promoting entrepreneurship is a mystery for most communities," Thomas said in the release. "The 1MC model dispels this and creates the opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect and share with each other while serving as a gateway into a larger national network."
Jason Graf, CEO of Springfield-based crowdfunding platform Crowdit, is slated to be the first presenter during the inaugural meeting scheduled 9 a.m. Feb. 26 at The eFactory, inside the Robert W. Plaster Center for Free Enterprise and Business Development, 405 N. Jefferson Ave. Meetings will be held at the same time and in the same location each Wednesday thereafter.
"The eFactory is the front door for entrepreneurship in Springfield," Graf said. "This program was definitely needed in Springfield and I think it's going to spur a lot of interesting conversations."
The program was originally started by KC-based Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and now has established location in cities such as San Diego, Denver, Des Moines, Iowa, and Houston, Texas, according to the release.
Kauffman spokeswoman Barb Schulte said Springfield has been in the queue for launching 1MC for some time, and only recently met all of the criteria needed - entrepreneurs as organizers, a secured venue and a coffee sponsor.
