Swanson outlines Great Plains Technology and Manufacturing Cluster during First Friday talk
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Courtney Swanson figures there are a whole bunch of individuals and businesses in Kansas and the nearby region who have some pretty innovative ideas.
As the outreach coordinator for the Great Plains Technology and Manufacturing Cluster in Manhattan, part of her job is to go find them. Then, she says, good things can happen.
“We can provide technical services to help develop new products and technologies for the market,” Swanson said.
Swanson was the featured speaker Dec. 4 during K-State Research and Extension’s monthly online series, First Friday e-Calls, which helps to nurture small businesses and inspire entrepreneurship in Kansas.
Great Plains TMC is an initiative through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Regional Innovation Clusters program and was formed in January, 2019. The goal of this program is to help entrepreneurs and companies with connecting to the technical and business resources needed to grow and drive innovation throughout the Great Plains region.
The Great Plains TMC is hosted by the K-State Technology Development Institute (TDI), which is part of the university’s College of Engineering. TDI is located off-campus on the eastern side of Manhattan, with a full-time staff and several students that help entrepreneurs and existing companies with new product and process development. TDI also has a fabrication prototyping shop staffed by engineers.
“We are able to walk through the process from start to finish,” Swanson said. “On the business side, we can help with market research and walk through a business plan. Once the business side is done, we can switch to engineering a product, including prototyping, testing and marketing.”
Swanson added that the Great Plains TMC has developed partnerships with organizations throughout the region “that can help provide support and expertise to areas including workforce training, engineering, business support, commercialization, market research and more.
“In addition to these resources, the Great Plains TMC lists workshops and online trainings from partners and local regions that can help businesses grow.”
Swanson said one popular aspect of the company’s services has been free assistance with planning and designing a website. The only cost to aspiring entrepreneurs, she said, is the monthly service fees charged by the web platform’s host, GoDaddy.
She noted that Great Plains TMC is planning to offer future programs to assist the region’s entrepreneurs and businesses with commercialization, employee recruiting and open innovation.
Membership in the organization is free and available online. Swanson said members receive regular communication from the Great Plains TMC, and will be part of a database to help in finding resources – or to be found by other companies looking for a product that they may offer.
Swanson’s full talk and other First Friday presentations are available online from K-State Research and Extension.
FOR PRINT PUBLICATIONS: Links used in this story
Great Plains Technology and Manufacturing Cluster, https://greatplainstmc.org
K-State Research and Extension First Friday e-Calls, www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship
Great Plains TMC (membership form), https://greatplainstmc.org/membership-sign-up
K State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Story by:
Pat Melgares
785-532-1160
[email protected]
For more information:
Courtney Swanson
785-532-1249
[email protected]
