NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort Graduates Double the Entrepreneurs

Second Class to Complete Program Spans Kansas, Celebrates Growth Achievements

NXTUS, Inc., which helps innovators and entrepreneurs grow companies of significance in Kansas, today graduated a double-sized class from its second-ever NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort.

The program, which launched in 2022 with support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, aims to help early-stage Kansas companies break through barriers to generate revenue and identify scalable offerings. It launched in 2022, alongside the ICT-EC thanks to a “Build to Scale” grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. This year, additional funding from NetWork Kansas has enabled the program to serve twice the number of entrepreneurs that were able to participate in the program, and the partnership with NetWork Kansas also helped source growth-minded entrepreneurs from Southwest Kansas.

Since January, cohort members have received one-on-one coaching with Denver-based Fluent Studio, enabling them to hone and test their go-to-market strategies. They also participated in workshops, held in both Wichita and in Dodge City, exploring topics they said could best enable them to grow revenue.

“The Customer Traction Cohort is huge for our rural businesses! It's providing them with expert advisors, peer mentorship and much needed support…things that haven’t been readily available before this." Lea Ann Seiler, NetWork Kansas Southwest Region Entrepreneurship Manager.

“The Customer Traction Cohort was an amazing experience. The things my coach made me think through challenged me to think outside my box and gave me permission to NOT go “all in,” saving me time and money. By experimenting on a smaller scale, I can monitor the metrics and know what works. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity.” Laura Martin, Sew Loved Quilt Shop.

This program is impacting the lives and business journeys of diverse Kansas entrepreneurs: Ninety percent of the participating startups have ethnic minority or female founders or co-founders; veterans, individuals with disabilities and Native Americans each make up nearly 10 percent of the cohort; and more than half of the companies operate in underserved, rural areas.