Aggressively competing for jobs, facilitating investment in the region and collaborating to drive economic growth is at the center of what we do. The Economic Development Team of the Greater Wichita Partnership works in collaboration with partners to accelerate the creation of jobs and increase capital investment through expansion and retention, attraction and entrepreneurship. The economic development strategies of the Greater Wichita Partnership are driven by the Regional Growth Plan, an economic strategy designed to grow our regional economy.

Discover how our team plans to accelerate job growth in 2021 by watching a video featuring executive vice president of economic development, Andrew Nave.

Entrepreneurship

To encourage a culture of assisting business startups and entrepreneurs, the Greater Wichita Partnership provides funding and staff support to Accelerate Wichita (formerly the Entrepreneurship Task Force), a group focused on identifying, activating and mentoring an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Accelerate Wichita has a vision to build and support an inclusive, globally competitive and impactful entrepreneurial ecosystem creating sustainable long-term growth for the region through job and wealth creation.

Accelerate Wichita Report

In 2020, the Partnership engaged with Chapman and Co., a pre-eminent expert in entrepreneurial ecosystem evaluation and development, to analyze and develop strategic next steps for our regional ecosystem. The process examined current advantages, existing assets and potential areas for acceleration and growth. Local entrepreneurs, service providers and business leaders were engaged in the development of this report, titled the Accelerate Wichita Report, which provides a collective vision for ecosystem growth. Launched in 2021, the report highlights the Greater Wichita region's comparative advantages, the importance of an entrepreneur-centered ecosystem and the framework for a thriving ecosystem. 

Reporting and Tracking Outcomes

Real progress is being made toward overall identified job and industry growth. Below are several highlights, and we invite you to review the Partnership's 2020 Year-End Jobs Update for a complete analysis.

• Since 2015, the Greater Wichita Partnership has assisted companies in creating 11,243 jobs, $2.5B in capital investment and $562M in total annual payroll.
• To promote regional MRO competitive advantages and attract prospects in 2020, the Partnership team attended the virtual MRO TransAtlantic convention with a virtal booth and held multiple prospect meetings. Concurrently, a robust digital advertising campaign was launched to drive awareness of the Air Capital in three target markets (Oklahoma City, Los Angeles and Dallas). Prospects in over 81 countries were reached as part of the campaign.
• Key initiatives from the Regional Growth Plan accomplished to date:
  - Launch of the talent-focused Choose Wichita brand and website
  - Creation of the technology council, FlagshipKansas.Tech
  - Cybersecurity industry promotion through the Regional National Security Coalition
  - Strategic national site selector engagement
  - National lead generation firms engaged
  - New business attraction website launched
  - National digital marketing campaign initiated
  - Launched the Accelerate Wichita report, an entrepreneurial ecosystem strategy

A key accomplishment of the Entrepreneurship Task Force (ETF) was the launch of the first entrepreneurial accelerator in Kansas – e2e, now named NXTUS. In 2015, ETF launched a planning committee that took the necessary steps to open the independent entity. NXTUS works closely with Accelerate Wichita to cultivate the entrepreneurial ecosystem by activating, accelerating, and mentoring entrepreneurs in the heartland.