GEWKC 2025 Insiders’ Guide for Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Side Hustlers

Written By Callie England

Ready to learn powerful skills, make new connections and boost your business or side hustle? Global Entrepreneurship Week – Kansas City is almost here! Join us Nov. 17-21 at Union Station and throughout the community for workshops, panels, networking events and fun.

Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or starting your entrepreneurial journey, GEWKC has something for you. Connect with investors, educators and fellow entrepreneurs. Learn from experts, share your ideas and create new opportunities — all right here, all for free.

To make the most of GEWKC, do a little planning now.

1. Register for GEWKC today

GEWKC will be here before you know it, so get your registration on now. It’s free! Register online, then download the Whova app so you can navigate the schedule, get useful details and interact with presenters, attendees and your new business BFFs.

Insider tip: When you arrive at Union Station (30 W. Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri), pick up your badge. The QR code on it will take you straight to the agenda on the GEWKC platform. Not sure where to start? The KCSourceLink folks at the registration desk will be happy to help!

2. Plan your GEWKC agenda

This gathering of entrepreneurial minds includes more than 90 activities and sessions to grow your network and your mind. With so many options, it’s a good idea to plot your personal agenda ahead of time. Find tracks like:

  • Innovation and tech

  • Growth and expansion

  • Market intro

  • Microenterprise

  • Idea

  • Second stage

  • International trade

Both Whova and the GEWKC platform make it easy to review events and curate your personal schedule.

Insider tip: Your GEWKC agenda is never carved in stone. Feel free to change your mind at any time — GEWKC is all about flexibility and meeting your needs. And if you find yourself in a session that isn’t what you were expecting, there’s no shame. Step out and explore the other events.

3. Don’t miss these GEWKC highlights

There isn’t a bad session in the bunch. But GEWKC does have some workshops, panels and events that simply can’t be missed. Consider these high points as you’re planning your days:

Monday, Nov. 17

Tuesday, Nov. 18

  • Money Movers LIVE: Real Talk at the Intersection of Capital, Culture and Community: 9-10 a.m., Chamber Board Room at Union Station

  • GEW Maker Fair, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Union Station

  • Can You Compete? How to Conduct Market Research: 12:45-1:45 p.m., Room 2 at Union Station

  • Retail Rhythm: Finding the Beat in Inventory Management: 2-3 p.m., Chamber Board Room

  • Data as a Strategy: Why Smart Entrepreneurs Track from Day One, 3:15-4:15 p.m., Gottlieb Planetarium at Union Station

Wednesday, Nov. 19

  • 1 Million Cups: 9-10 a.m., Chamber Board Room

  • Managing a Successful Capital Raise: 2-3 p.m., Chamber Board Room

  • Show Me The Money: Navigating Funding Options and Accessing Capital: 2-3 p.m., Planetarium

  • Angels vs. VCs: Navigating the Funding Landscape for Growing Businesses: 3:15-4:15 p.m., Chamber Board Room

  • So You Got a Business Idea, Now What: 3:15-4:15 p.m., Room 2

  • City Entrepreneur X Keystone Session On the Road: 5:30-7:30 p.m., National WWI Museum and Memorial

Thursday, Nov. 20

  • CDFIs – The Best Kept Secret for Entrepreneurs: 9-10 a.m., Chamber Board Room

  • Corporate Connections: Building Better Startup-Corporate Partnerships: 10:15-11:30 a.m., Chamber Board Room

  • Startup-Ready Science: How to Launch with University Innovation: 2-3 p.m., Room 2

Friday, Nov. 21

4. Pack your GEWKC must-haves

Come comfortable, but don’t come empty handed. A few essentials will help you make the most of the new connections and ideas you’re sure to find at GEWKC. Don’t leave home without:

  • Business cards: You will meet so many interesting people! Come with at least 50 business cards so you can keep in touch with your new peeps.

  • Your charged phone: The Whova app will guide you through the conference and keep you up to date on all the happenings. Plus, you’ll want to hit social media to share what you learn. Tag #GEWKC and empower your network.

  • A notebook and pen: Because inspiration is everywhere.

  • Friendly footwear: Union Station is an 85,000-square-foot venue! Besides walking around this iconic setting, you’ll also be standing and mingling. When in doubt, lean toward function over fashion.

Insider tip: Attire at GEWKC tends to be business casual. Be comfortable, but be ready should you happen to meet a potential funder or the business partner of your dreams. Also, leave the buckets of money at home. GEWKC events are free!

5. Plan for travel, food and more

There’s so much to do and so many options for fun. Here’s the logistics lowdown.

Parking at GEWG

All GEWKC attendees can park for free in the West Yards Parking Garage. It’s located on the west side of Union Station and also accessible via Broadway Street.

Getting to GEWG

No car? No problem! There are many ways to get to and from Union Station:

  • RideKC Streetcar: The newly expanded streetcar runs from the River Market to UMKC. Service is available from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday. On Friday night, service runs until 1 a.m. Saturday. No matter when or where you hop on the streetcar, the ride is free — and includes free Wi-Fi.

  • RideKC Bike: Smart, electric-assist bikes and classic bikes make pedal power available 24/7. Download the RideKC Bike app to register, find your bike and get moving.

  • RideKC Busses: Travel via bus in Kansas City is free! Download the RideKC transit app to plan your route and schedule.

  • IRIS: This app-based, on-demand service will get you within a quarter mile of your destination for a minimal fee. It’s designed to fill in the gaps where other transportation might not be accessible. IRIS covers Kansas City, Missouri, and Raytown, Missouri.

  • Amtrak: The Missouri River Runner train travels between St. Louis and Kansas City and stops at Union Station. Other stops include Independence, Lee’s Summit, Warrensburg, Sedalia, Jefferson City, Hermann, Washington and Kirkwood.

Free food and networking at GEWKC

Union Station is home to five spots where you can grab a bite. But you can also nosh and network at several free GEWKC events.

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Staying connected with Wi-Fi

Union Station offers free high-speed internet throughout the entire venue. Yes, that’s 85,000 square feet of sweet, sweet Wi-Fi!

Insider tip: Got a question? Ask the friendly faces at GEWKC registration, or snag anyone wearing a red GEWKC shirt. If they don’t know the answer, they’ll know how to find it, stat.

6. Get ready to explore Union Station and the surrounding area

Before and after your sessions, you have some of the best KC has to offer within a quick walk or streetcar ride.

Inside Union Station

  • Titanic: An Immersive Voyage: Experience this fascinating ship like never before. This limited-time exhibit features artifacts, life-sized room recreations, 3D videos and more.

  • Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium: Explore the night sky and beyond. Interactive astronomy education, public shows, laser light shows and live telescope viewings put the universe in your hands.

  • Science City: This family-friendly museum has three floors and more than 100,000 square feet of engaging exhibits, hands-on activities and play spaces for the young and young at heart.

  • Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre: Sit back, relax and enjoy the biggest movie screen in KC. Educational, classic and family-friendly films appear at this single-screen theater.

  • City Stage Theatre: Check out live dramas, comedies and musicals in this 200-seat venue. Kansas City Actors Theatre and Theatre for Young America grace this stage often.

  • Escape Room KC: Ready for a fun challenge? You and your team have 60 minutes to solve puzzles, crack codes and escape the room. Teams of two to 16 players are welcome.

Near Union Station

  • Crown Center: Located across the street from Union Station, Crown Center is accessible via the climate-controlled Link elevated walkway. The district is home to shops, restaurants and attractions like SEA LIFE Kansas City, The Coterie Theatre, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Hallmark Vistors Center, Kaleidoscope and more.

  • Freight House: This historic railroad building just north of Union Station is home to three amazing restaurants. Ride the streetcar one stop for easy access to fine dining.

  • Crossroads District: This neighborhood of art galleries, boutique shops, one-of-a-kind restaurants and creative businesses is just steps — or one streetcar stop — from Union Station.

  • National WWI Museum and Memorial: Experience the world’s most comprehensive WWI collection and gain a breathtaking view of Kansas City from the 217-foot Liberty Memorial Tower.

  • Money Museum: Learn about the U.S. economy in this free museum inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. See how the bank processes millions of dollars each day, and lift a real gold bar.

Insider tip: This map of Union Station can give you the lay of the land before GEWKC. Expect to find registration and the Navigation Station with KCSourceLink Community Network Navigators in Union Station’s Grand Hall. And about those Community Network Navigators …

7. Know the Kansas City entrepreneurship resources that are available beyond GEWKC

KC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem doesn’t sleep. Ever. Even when GEWKC ends.

Our vibrant community offers many resources to support your entrepreneurial dreams and the big hopes you have for your small business. Keep these three tools in mind:

  • The KCSourceLink Calendar provides a comprehensive list of all the free or low-cost classes, events and networking opportunities throughout the metro.

  • The KCSourceLink Resource Navigator lists the more than 230 local Resource Partners that provide education, guidance and services to entrepreneurs.

  • KCSourceLink’s Community Network Navigators are here to point you in the right entrepreneurial direction. Book a meeting to discuss your goals and get a free Personal Action Plan. This to-do list is individualized to fit your needs, whether you have a tentative business idea or are ready to scale.

When you actively participate in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community, you grow, connect with like-minded people, and move closer to your goals. GEWKC is just the beginning.

For all GEWKC questions and inquiries, email info@kcsourcelink.com or call KCSourceLink at 816-235-6500.

Callie England
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