Verge will have a HUGE Impact in KC

I was very skeptical when attending my first Verge event at Lifted Spirits distillery in March. I had recently attended a lot of "networking" or "start-up" events in KC that were mostly swing and misses. This might be just my perspective coming from a booming Boston start-up community. I found myself pleasantly surprised. From the moment I walked in the door, I knew that Verge was different. From the types of people I met, to the things I was able to learn, it was clear that over time Verge will have a tremendous positive impact on the KC innovation community.

Why do I believe Verge is on the right track in KC and destined to help this city do great things?

1.) Verge is run by successful and passionate entrepreneurs

Jay Austin, one of the individuals responsible for bringing Verge to KC and Verge's KC ambassador, is truly impressive. Jay, a high energy, engaging entreprenuer who MC'ed both events, makes everyone feel included and ensures they have fun. Not to mention Jay has already demonstrated his ability to be a successful entrepreneur within many different industries. This is a common thread throughout the Verge Organization. The vast majority of the Verge Leadership team has already built successful organizations on their own. This team knows what they are doing.

2.) Emphasis on Quality

I thought there was a chance that after the first event at Lifted Spirits, the second event at Black & Veatch wouldn't be as impressive. Although the event was very different and did have more of a corporate vibe, mostly due to the location, I'd say the event was even better. Verge appears to be focused on putting quality companies on stage and attracting the appropriate people within the start-up community to attend.

3.) Kansas City is ready and Verge can capitalize

Anyone who knows me, knows that I believe Kansas City is on the precipice of greatness. Entrepreneurs are moving their companies here from across the globe. Young professionals, including me, are moving back after spending years in other cities. Co-working facilities are being built right here in KC at an unprecedented pace, including the largest such facility in the world, Plexpod. Plexpod happens to be the location of the next Verge event.

If you are interested in innovation and being connected to the KC start-up scene, I would strongly encourage that you check out an upcoming Verge event. The two events have been the best two networking events I have been to in KC. I have built strong relationships with organizations and co-founders. Although I am confident Verge is building communities in many cities, I can only attest to what they have begun here in KC. I urge you to attend the next Verge event, take pride in our city and build not only a great ecosystem for business, but one for innovation.

The type of Organizations that Presented: Athlete Network, Backstitch, Farmobile, Idle Smart, MyCoft, Stackify.