Park Points – July 8, 2024

Welcome back to another edition of Park Points, a quick recap of news, information, and events relevant to KU Innovation Park’s mission and vision.

Our newsletter has launched! If you’d like to get Park news as it happens, please subscribe here. See what you missed in the first edition. The next newsletter is scheduled for this week.

Women make strides in STEM

The number of women in scholarly research has increased both in the U.S. and around the world over the past 20 years. But gender disparities still exist.

  • The share of female STEM researchers in the U.S. was 29% in 2022, an increase from 17% in 2000.
  • In the social and health sciences, women represent half of researchers in America.
  • Plus, as women move up in seniority, their representation steadily decreases, making up 27% of active researchers with 21 or more years of experience.
  • Based on current numbers, gender parity won’t exist until 2052.

Within the Park’s system, about 25% of companies have female founders. The Park also has an incentive fund for entrepreneurs within the tech and biosciences fields. In 2023, over 80% of that incentive fund went toward women-owned and/or minority-owned companies.

1 Million Cups at KU Innovation Park

The Park is pleased to be the new home for 1 Million Cups Lawrence starting this week. Created by the Kauffman Foundation in 2012, 1 Million Cups is a weekly event for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their businesses to the Lawrence community.

  • Most often, you’ll find 1MC meeting in the Chamber conference room in the main facility, 2029 Becker Drive.
  • Occasionally, meetings will occur in the Phase III auditorium.
  • If you’re interested in learning more or even presenting about your company, check out the 1MC website and Facebook page for more information.

Upcoming events & opportunities

  • Grab a drink and pastry to start your morning on Tuesday, July 16, at the Uplift Coffee Truck.
  • The Park is hosting a Lunch and Learn event about growth marketing on Wednesday, July 17. If you don’t have a big budget for generating leads and sales and have questions about recent changes to consumer privacy laws, this is the session for you. The event is free, but registration is required. Lunch will be provided. Register here.
  • BioKansas is accepting pitch applications for its upcoming Startup Pitch Competition. Companies can submit one product or service conceived no earlier than January 2021. Apply to pitch by July 16 by clicking here.

 

Have news and notes to share? Let Lindsey Slater, vice president of strategic communications, know by clicking here.