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Ignite

The startup accelerator built nationally, brought home to Topeka. Eight weeks. A nationally recognized curriculum from the Kauffman Foundation. Walk in with an idea. Walk out with a business.

Weeks8
You pay$350
Value$2.5K

A nationally recognized curriculum, built for Topeka.

IGNITE New Venture Discovery operates within the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Fast Trac program network. In 2023, Omni Circle collaborated with the Kauffman Foundation to reintroduce Fast Trac to Topeka, boosting startup engagement, expanding access to resources, and enriching the local business landscape.

Rebranded as IGNITE New Venture Discovery, the program caters to new entrepreneurs in their early stages, offering foundational knowledge on the essentials of starting a business and refining ideas into actionable concepts.

$350$2,500 valueYou save $2,150

Eight weeks of curriculum, coaching, and connections that normally cost thousands, offered at a community price so more Topeka founders can take the leap.

Register Today

Registration via Kauffman FastTrac

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation curriculum, built for Topeka.

IGNITE is built on the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Fast Trac program, the same curriculum used to train tens of thousands of founders across the country.

In 2023, Omni Circle partnered with the Kauffman Foundation to bring Fast Trac home to Topeka, opening the door for local entrepreneurs to learn from a program that has shaped some of the most successful small businesses in America.

  1. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  2. Peaslee Technical Center
  3. Local Companies & Subject-Matter Experts
  4. Omni Circle Group
Founders learning the Fast Trac curriculum

Do you have an idea for a new business?

Whether you're just starting with an idea or ready to take your business to the next level, IGNITE New Venture Discovery equips you with the tools, knowledge, and support to bring your vision to life.

  1. Tools

    Worksheets, frameworks, and templates founders actually use to plan and pitch.

  2. Knowledge

    Eight weeks with experienced coaches covering the full startup playbook.

  3. Support

    A peer cohort and local mentor network walking the journey alongside you.

Why IGNITE works.

A focused mission, a collaborative network of partners, and a curriculum built to take founders from idea to operating business in eight weeks.

Our focus is empowering entrepreneurs in Shawnee & Douglas County.

IGNITE focuses on providing entrepreneurial education and support to individuals within Shawnee and Douglas County. We aim to empower people with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to start and grow successful businesses.

By nurturing a vibrant and resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem, we strive to foster economic growth, job creation, and prosperity within the community.

Collaborative partnership with the people already invested in our community.

Omni Circle has partnered with local community organizations, companies, and subject-matter experts to curate a series of prime learning experiences that enhance the entrepreneurial journey.

Every session is delivered by people who live, work, and build right here in Topeka. It’s the network you’ll lean on long after the cohort ends.

8-week New Venture Discovery curriculum

Five phases, eight weeks, one operating business. Here's the full cohort path from spark to launch.

  1. Week 1

    Ideate

    • The Entrepreneurial Lifestyle
    • From Idea to Business Concept
  2. Weeks 2–3

    Position

    • Market Research
    • Business Model Design
    • Pricing Strategy
    • Legal Strategy
    • Business Exits
  3. Weeks 4–5

    Commit

    • Reaching the Market
    • Distribution & Sale
    • Financial Management Cycle
    • Sales Projections
    • Cost Projections
    • Intellectual Property
    • Comply with Laws, Regulations & Contracts
  4. Weeks 6–7

    Refine

    • Building the Organization and Team
    • Cash Needs and When You Might Earn a Profit
    • Financial Assumptions and Seeking Funding
    • Putting Together a Business Plan
  5. Week 8

    Concept

    • Launch
    • Leading the Organization
    • Culture
    • Measuring and Analyzing Financial Results
    • Process Optimization

Next cohort: Douglas Co. & Lawrence

Start DateMonday, March 23
LocationPeaslee Technical Center
Register Today

Cohort schedule: eight Mondays. One business.

  1. 1
    IdeateMonday, March 23
  2. 2
    PositionMonday, March 30
  3. 3
    PositionMonday, April 6
  4. 4
    CommitMonday, April 13
  5. 5
    CommitMonday, April 20
  6. 6
    RefineMonday, April 27
  7. 7
    RefineMonday, May 4
  8. 8
    LaunchMonday, May 11

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The next move is yours. Eight weeks from now, you could be in business.

Reserve your seat in IGNITE New Venture Discovery. The next cohort starts Monday, March 23 at Peaslee Technical Center.

Reserve your seat