The entrepreneurial journey rarely comes with a map—but it helps to have a guide.

Join The Park at its June Lunch and Learn, a practical conversation with a panel of leaders across our regional innovation ecosystem. This panel will help you chart a course through the many resources available to entrepreneurs—explaining what they are, how to access them, and when they matter most in your startup journey.

Think of this session as your startup survival manual. Our panel of ecosystem insiders will break down who does what, how to engage with the right resources at the right time, and what steps to take next—no matter where you are in your journey. From idea stage to scaling up, you’ll learn how to make the most of the support systems around you.

Please note: This Lunch and Learn falls on Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. KU Innovation Park acknowledges the importance of this day in our nation’s history and encourages our community to take time for thoughtful reflection and continued learning.

Lunch and networking begin at 11:45 a.m., and the presentation will be from 12 to 1 p.m. at KU Innovation Park.

This event is free, but registration is required as lunch will be provided. Please register below. This event is open to anyone. You do not have to work for a Park company to attend. If you register and can no longer attend, please let us know.

MEET THE PANEL

Brian Anderson – Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Initiatives, Frank T. Stockton Professor at the KU School of Business

Brian Anderson is the Frank T. Stockton Professor and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the KU School of Business, where he also serves as Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives. He earned his doctorate in strategic management from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University.

Anderson’s research centers on strategic entrepreneurship, focusing on causal inference, measurement issues, and Bayesian treatment of the entrepreneurial orientation and strategic entrepreneurial behavior constructs.

Will Katz – Lecturer, MBA program at the KU School of Business; KU Small Business Development Center

Will Katz has been a resident of Lawrence, Kansas, since 1986. He came to Lawrence as an undergraduate at KU, where he studied philosophy and Russian. He received his B.A. in 1993 and earned his MBA from KU in 2001. He brings to this position a variety of professional and management experience from companies both large and small. Katz spent 17 years at E and E Display Group, beginning in 1987 and culminating with a stint as production manager. He has also served as a leader in Fortune 50 companies: General Motors and Target.

Chris Rehkamp – Director of Business Services, KU Innovation Park

Chris Rehkamp is an experienced entrepreneurial ecosystem builder and has supported the launch and growth of new businesses for nearly a decade. An entrepreneur himself, Rehkamp previously served as associate director of the Technology Venture Studio at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center. Chris has a Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland. Startland News named him a Community Builder to Watch in 2022.