TOPEKA — Kansas State University launched a project to expand upon the traditional land-grant mission by aggregating entrepreneurial expertise to accelerate growth of business startups and existing companies in communities throughout the state’s 105 counties.
K-State president Richard Linton said the work would mesh with the university’s plan to create in Kansas 3,000 jobs and attract $3 billion in investment by 2030. This represents KSU’s response to a push by the Kansas Board of Regents to make state universities more robust drivers of economic activity. The university announced the “K-State 105” alliance with the nonprofit NetWork Kansas to give rise to a statewide economic development apparatus providing business owners with better access to expertise, education and economic resources.
“This initiative is truly reflective of K-State’s land-grant mission to build, support and improve Kansas communities and aims to improve the lives of all Kansans,” Linton said. “We firmly believe that if civic and community leaders are committed to locally driven growth strategies and are connected to a broad range of technical, business and support services, all communities can grow and thrive.”
