Udpates: ACCEL-KS Round 1 Grant Applications

We received more than 50 applications during Round 1 of the ACCEL-KS at Groover Labs proof-of-concept program. We’re incredibly excited by the early response, which shows once again that founders across the state of Kansas are innovating. We’ll announce more details about Round 2 soon.

In the meantime, we’re evaluating Round 1 projects now with plans to distribute the funds by the end of the month. It has always been our goal to get grant funds into the hands of founders quickly, and we’re working hard to ensure that happens.

Here’s some interesting information about Round 1 applications:

• Number of applications: 50+

• Total funding requested: More than $1.2 million

• Project breakdown:

  • Hardware: 54%

  • Software: 36%

  • Hybrid/mixed: 9%

• Geographic breakdown:

  • Applications from urban counties: 66%

  • Applications from rural counties: 37%

During the first quarter of the grant program, we connected with innovators and founders in more than 40 Kansas communities, reaching urban and rural areas alike, from east to west, from Great Bend to Hutchinson to Wichita to Independence. And we’ve hardly even started.

Thank you to all who submitted applications, and to all of you who picked up the phone when we called, who responded to emails at night and on weekends, who were patient while we responded. Those little things make huge differences for our team.

Early next week, we’ll start scheduling times for applicants to present their projects to the Review Committee.

Good luck to all, and keep an eye on this space about upcoming announcements related to Round 1 awardees and Round 2 applications.