technology & bioscience incubator in Lawrence

Early Stage & Startup

Meeting you where you are

From the initial spark of inspiration to the stages of formation, securing funding, and navigating the early growth phase, the Park’s seasoned professionals and committed student analysts are here to guide you through every step of the journey. They will also link you to a vast regional network of valuable resources, all aimed at ensuring your success.

Services

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Organization and Formation

Form and register your company, get a business address and registered agent, develop organizational documents and operating agreements, and file all the paperwork needed to make your company official.

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Initial Market Validation and Competitive Analysis

Is there a market for your product, technology, or service? We’ll help you find the answer.

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Business Plan and Commercialization Strategy

We’ll collaborate with you to identify the best path to market and develop a plan to get there.

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Funding Opportunities

Develop a solid pitch and communications strategy, connect with investors, find and apply for SBIR/STTR grants, and leverage other federal, state, and local funding and incentive programs.

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Operational and Administrative Support

The Park offers limited administrative and operational support, including payroll and financial services, setting up insurance policies, general business agreement review, and talent acquisition.

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Shared Workspace

For companies that are still too early for dedicated space, the Park can offer a range of shared workspaces, as well as reservable meeting and conference rooms.

how it works

market research and validation

Before the team begins any market research project with a tenant, we learn about your business idea to discuss any services that best fit your company’s needs. Once we establish a plan of action, our dedicated student business analysts will perform a comprehensive analysis that includes the components listed here.

We can also conduct market analysis on any other specific requests. After the market research process, you’ll receive an extensive analysis report to better inform your business decisions

Looking to grow rapidly?

Learn about our accelerator program

Comprehensive Analysis Includes:

markets

customers

business opportunities

Channels

potential obstacles

competitors

Our Main Facility

The Park’s main KU West Campus facility offers about 50,000 square feet of modern, professional, and flexible spaces designed with the needs of early-stage startups in mind. Leasable lab and office suites of approximately 700 square feet are available for companies ready for dedicated space. For companies not quite ready for space of their own, a variety of shared and collaborative spaces are available, including open workspaces, reservable meeting and conference rooms, and dedicated desk and hoteling options.

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Working with KU Innovation Park

Whether you need space, services, or just advice on where to begin, the Park is your gateway to a regional network of innovation and entrepreneurship resources across Northeast Kansas and the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

Strong Network

With KU Innovation Park, you will have a wealth of resources at your disposal. We facilitate collaboration between our resident companies and public and private organizations, programs, and partners who support entrepreneurship, innovation, and commercialization.

SBIR & STTR Grants

SBIR grants are an excellent source of funding for research-based startups. Forming a company to apply for an SBIR adds a layer of complexity to the process but can help you kick-start your company’s growth. The Park team can help you set up the necessary business infrastructure, navigate the proposal and KU sub-award process, and connect you with trusted, expert SBIR consultants. Our experience in this specific area is a valuable resource for growing companies.

University Resources

The Park works closely with the University of Kansas (KU) and the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). We are a liaison to connect companies with people, technologies, and facilities within the university to help you achieve success.

take the first step toward success.

Learn more about the new heights you can achieve when you work with KU Innovation Park.

get started
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Sarah Plinsky

Administrator, Douglas County

Sarah Plinsky was hired as the County Administrator in September 2019 after serving in the interim position for nine months. She is currently a member of the board for KU Innovation Park. Before becoming the administrator, she had served as the Assistant County Administrator since December 2010. Previously, Sarah was the Assistant to the County Manager in Johnson County, Kansas. In Johnson County, she also served as the Interim Assistant County Manager for the Community Services Team and Interim Director of Public Health. Sarah is a graduate of Leadership ICMA (International City and County Management Association) and the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia. She holds a B.A. in political science and a Master’s in public administration from the University of Kansas.

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Craig Owens

City Manager, City of Lawrence

Craig Owens began serving as City Manager of Lawrence in July 2019 after serving as City Manager for the City of Clayton, Missouri, for 11 years. Over the past 25 years, he has served similar positions for the cities of Rowlett, Texas, O’Fallon, Illinois, and Hazelwood, Missouri. Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Craig is a former president of the Missouri City/County Management Association and the St. Louis Area City/County Management Association.

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Bonnie Lowe

President & CEO, The Chamber, Lawrence

Bonnie Lowe has been the president and chief executive officer of The Chamber of Lawrence since January 2019. In that role, she is responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and management functions. She had earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Fort Hays State University. Before her current position, Bonnie was the chief operations officer for the Chamber. For four years before working with the Chamber, Bonnie was a senior civil investigator for the US Attorney’s Office. In Lawrence, from 1998 to 2008, Bonnie worked as the Community Bank President. She also served on the Lawrence City Commission.

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Steven W. Stites, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C.P

Executive Vice President, Clinical Affairs & Chief Medical Officer, KU Medical Center

Dr. Steve Stites joined the hospital’s leadership team as senior vice president of clinical affairs in February 2012 and became executive vice president and chief medical officer for the health system in July 2018. He serves a dual role as vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Stites received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He completed his residency and chief residency in internal medicine at the University of Rochester and a fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

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Mark Shiflett, Ph.D., P.E.

Co-Founder & CSO of Icorium, Distinguished Foundation Professor

Dr. Mark Shiflett is a Distinguished Foundation Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas (KU), where his research focuses on developing environmentally friendly, energy-efficient processes and products for the chemical industry. He retired from the DuPont Company after 28 years in 2016 as a Technical Fellow in the Central Research and Development Organization at DuPont’s Experimental Station in Wilmington, Delaware. Mark is an inventor on 46 U.S. patents and has published over 130 articles on his research at DuPont. He is also the co-founder and chief science officer of Icorium Engineering Company, a KU spin-out company revolutionizing refrigerant reclamation with efficient, complete separation of even the most complex mixes.

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Derek Kwan

Board Secretary – Executive Director, Lied Center of Kansas

Derek Kwan serves as the Lawrence Chamber Board Chair and secretary of KU Innovation Park’s Board of Directors. He has served as the Executive Director of the Lied Center of Kansas since January 2014. Derek previously worked for Interlochen Center for the Arts as the Executive Director of Interlochen Presents. At the Lincoln Center in New York City, Derek served as the Vice President of Concerts and Touring for Jazz and the Associate Director of Programming & Concert Operations for Jazz. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he has production credits on over 60 albums. Derek also serves as a board member for the LMH Health Foundation.

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Michele Hammann, CPA/PFS, CVA

Treasurer - Chief Strategy Officer, SSC CPAs + Advisors

Michele received her Master of Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Kansas in 2001. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Kansas Society of CPAs and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts. She is the past Chair of the Board of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and A past President of Junior Achievement of Douglas County. In 2019, Michele received the KSCPA/AICPA ‘Women to Watch’ Experienced Leader Award.

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Karen Willey, Ph.D.

Commissioner, Douglas County

Karen Willey earned her Ph.D. in Geography from KU before starting and operating several successful businesses in Douglas County. Her latest company, FarmTender, LLC, is producing an online application geared toward expanding regenerative farming practices in Kansas. Currently, Dr. Willey leverages her 25 years of nonprofit board experience through her work as a professional consultant and grant writer with Futureful, a local consulting group serving health, housing, and human services nonprofits, mainly in urban Kansas City. In 2022, she was appointed to fulfill an unexpired term on the Douglas County Commission. Additionally, Dr. Willey serves as the President of BRAC, a local housing nonprofit, as a volunteer firefighter with Willow Springs Fire District, as a member of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee, and in many other community roles.

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Douglas Girod, M.D.

Board Chair - Chancellor, University of Kansas

Douglas Girod, M.D., has been the Chancellor of KU since 2017, where he established a bold vision for the University of Kansas to be a destination for top scholars from across the world, an engine of economic growth for Kansas, and one of the nation’s leading research universities. Chancellor Girod received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of California at Davis and his M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco. He is involved with several other organizations, including as a board member of the AAU, Civic Council of Kansas City, chambers of commerce in Lawrence and Greater Kansas City, and MRI Global. Chancellor Girod was recognized with a Regional Leadership Award from the Mid-America Regional Council in 2016 for his work with KC Rising.

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Mike Dever

Vice Mayor, City of Lawrence

Mike Dever was elected to the Lawrence City Commission in 2023 and serves as Vice Mayor. Mike is the president and CEO of GuideWire Consulting, LLC. He supervises the entire staff and all departmental services and oversees a wide variety of environmental and property assessment services.

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Kate Chinn

Incoming Chair, The Chamber of Lawrence

Kate Chinn is the chair-elect for The Chamber’s Board of Directors. Kate owns Express Employment Professionals in Lawrence, a leading staffing provider helping job seekers find work with a wide variety of local businesses.

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Benjamin Shaw

Business Analyst

Benjamin Shaw is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas, earning a degree in chemical engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering. Ben was awarded a Self Memorial Scholarship for his fifth year of education to earn an MBA. As an analyst, he assists the KU Innovation Park team and its tenants with their various business and project needs. Outside of the Park, Benjamin is active in research and student organizations like Engineers Without Borders KU. He also enjoys attending Dole Institute of Politics events, Lied Center of Kansas shows and KU Women’s Basketball games.

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Claire Milroy

Business Analyst

Claire Milroy is a senior at the University of Kansas studying business analytics with a sociology minor. She is involved with many aspects of the Park, including market and commercialization analysis for startups, managing current tenants’ business needs, and assisting the team with other projects as needed. In addition to her responsibilities as a student and business analyst, Claire is a business writing coach, Business Leadership Program Student Executive Board member and AdventHealth volunteer.

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Kerri Johnson

Internal Operations Manager

Kerri Johnson manages the Park’s day-to-day operations, including all administrative and front office matters, managing activities, handling scheduling, and working with service providers to maintain and improve building efficiency and Park staff productivity.

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Michael Smithyman

Director of Operations

Mike Smithyman manages plant operations and construction, handles leasing and related client interfaces, and works with tenants and prospective tenants to meet various business growth, management, and operational needs. He brings years of experience in the commercial real estate industry to the Park. Additionally, Mike tracks and manages the Park’s economic metrics.

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Chris Rehkamp

Director of Business Services

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 most recently 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.

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Lindsey Slater

Vice President of Strategic Communications

Lindsey Slater oversees strategic communications for the Park, raising brand awareness to drive business development and expansion while providing support to resident companies. An experienced communications professional with a knack for storytelling, Lindsey highlights the strengths of the Park and its companies through the written word, video and beyond. She most recently was the director of communications and storytelling for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Professionals.

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Adam Courtney

Chief Executive Officer & Board President

As CEO, Adam Courtney provides strategic and operational leadership of the Park, including overseeing business operations, strategic initiatives and resource management, and fostering the Park’s culture, mission and vision. Adam previously worked for the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He served as the Park’s chief financial officer for ten years before being named CEO and president of the Board in March 2024.