Caffeinated Creativity
Kansas City’s startup community inspires fresh connections and bold ideas.
By Hilary Abrahamson
Once a week, adults across the country gather together for show and tell — or something like that. The startup collaboration 1 Million Cups provides a chance for entrepreneurs to show off what they have to offer, and it’s more than just trinkets and toys. Ethan Davidson and TJ Tollakson met last year at Green Grounds Café in West Des Moines.
There amongst the espresso machines and pastries they presented the Hen House — the only airplane carry-on case for bicycles, that can also be checked as regular baggage. Hen House is the principal product of their company, Ruster Sports. Over cups of coffee, the two received advice and encouragement from fellow entrepreneurs that inspired them in their startup pursuits.
“I left there feeling like I had the next million-dollar idea,” Davidson said.
Which is what 1 Million Cups was designed to do: bring entrepreneurs and their ideas together over cups of java in hopes of launching the next big thing. The caffeinated conferences happen across the country every Wednesday to present product ideas, answer questions and get free feedback from other entrepreneurs.
The idea started in Kansas City, Mo., when Nate Olson and his partner Cameron Cushman were working for the Kauffman Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to saving entrepreneurship. The duo wanted to learn more about the entrepreneurs in their own backyard.
“What I realized pretty quickly was that our community was very fragmented, but the entrepreneurs were well-connected,” Olson said. “But there was no single place for entrepreneurs in the city to go.”
About the same time, Olson was inspired by a blog post on LinkedIn called “8 Million Cups.” The piece talked about how the Chicago startup community had become more energetic, progressive and connected because entrepreneurs were being more intentional about grabbing cups of coffee together.
“Cameron and I looked at each other and said, ‘What if we could get Kansas City’s entrepreneurs to drink one million cups of coffee together — talking about their businesses, where they’re at and where they’re headed,’” Olson said.
That was in April 2012. That November, 1 Million Cups opened its first satellite organization in Des Moines, connecting entrepreneurs in a local coffee shop at 9 a.m. every Wednesday morning. Just under two years later, there are over 30 cities nationwide, with more applying for membership.
Any city can apply to have a local 1 Million Cups by just going to its website. Acceptance is based on population density and the existing entrepreneurial community. Owners of startup companies can also apply online to present at local meetings.
Today Davidson is instrumental in organizing the Des Moines 1 Million Cups meetings, and he’s passionate about bringing together entrepreneurs and inspiring new business ideas.
“One of the beauties of it is that everyone is excited to help each other,” Davidson said. “All of these people that could be charging for their success and their advice are instead coming together and saying, ‘How can I help this person succeed?’”
Check out more about 1 Million Cups:
Photo and video by Frank Merchlewitz
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