Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference focuses on entrepreneurship in rural Kansas

The event will happen in June 2025 in Kingman and is open to all Kansans.

The 2025 Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference will be in Kingman and will focus on supporting entrepreneurship in rural Kansas. (Photo credit: Dan Carroll). | Download this photo.

By Jennifer Tidball

K‑State News and Communications Services

A first-in-Kansas conference dedicated to supporting rural entrepreneurship will bring together people from across the state this summer.

The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference promotes small communities and highlights people, businesses and best practices for creating an entrepreneurial mindset. All Kansans are invited to attend the conference, which will occur from June 25-27 in Kingman. Learn more about the conference, view the schedule and register to attend.

The conference is a collaborative project that involves multiple partners across the state: Kansas State University, K-State Research and Extension; Network Kansas; the Kansas Department of Commerce Quality Places Division, including the Office of Rural Prosperity and Kansas Main Street; and Thrive Kansas.

"Kansas is a model for working together. It is exciting to co-create and co-present our first Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference with our partners across the state," said Nancy Daniels, community vitality specialist with K-State Research and Extension. "This is an opportunity to have one-to-one conversations with experts and others doing entrepreneurial work in this unique embedded conference."

The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference will offer opportunities to spotlight communities, share energy and connect resources. It will offer dynamic, embedded sessions in local businesses and venues across a four-block radius in downtown Kingman. Conference participants will be able to network with like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and resource providers who can help overcome challenges and explore new opportunities.

"The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference is a new kind of conference — designed specifically with entrepreneurs and the communities that support them in mind," said Sarah LaRosh, director of eCommunity Partnership with Network Kansas. "Instead of gathering in a single ballroom, we embed the sessions throughout the downtown, creating opportunities to experience the local business ecosystem firsthand. It's immersive; it's practical; and it fosters real conversations that lead to real solutions for rural entrepreneurship."

In Kingman, a preconference event will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at the Kingman Historic Theatre and will include a performance by Yachty by Nature. The June 26 keynote address, "Entrepreneurial ecosystems: Supporting small for greater impact," will be presented by Gustavo Ustariz, senior manager for entrepreneurship and small business support for Main Street America. Marshall Stewart, Kansas State University executive vice president of external engagement and chief of staff, will present the June 27 capstone address, "Building connections to strengthen entrepreneurs."

"This conference reflects the best of what we do in Kansas — breaking down silos, fostering collaboration, and uplifting the voices and visions of rural entrepreneurs. We're proud to be part of this effort to strengthen local economies and celebrate the innovation already happening in our small towns," said Matt Godinez, Kansas Department of Commerce assistant secretary of quality places.

Learn more about the conference and view the agenda and lodging options at bit.ly/KansasCEC. Entrepreneurs can attend for the reduced fee of $100 by using the code CECENT100 when they register.

The next Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference in June 2026 will be held in Courtland.

The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities is connected to Kansas State University’s strategic vision to become a fully engaged next-generation land-grant university that is building economic growth across all 105 counties in Kansas.

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