KC businessman pledges $1 million from his company to help entrepreneurs

A successful Kansas City businessman who believes in giving a helping hand to other entrepreneurs has pledged that his company will give $1 million over five years to the Kansas City Startup Foundation.

Mike Wrenn, CEO of Affinity Worldwide, says he believes successful business leaders “should help those just starting, because none of us who are successful started at the top.”

Along with the monetary gift announcement, Wrenn, through Affinity, has donated ownership of the Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development to the Kansas City Startup Foundation.

The Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development became a part of the Startup Foundation in July. The two organizations had similar missions, so participants said it made sense to combine the two efforts.

The foundation now operates Startland News, the Kansas City Startup Village, Village Square Coworking Studio, MECA Challenge, 1Week KC and Startup Crawl KC.

Adam Arredondo, a co-founder of the absorbed center, is now executive director of the foundation.

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 3:28 PM with the headline "KC businessman pledges $1 million from his company to help entrepreneurs."