Our Mission | Our Events | Our Network
Our Mission: To help build relationships among members of Columbia’s tech community, including entrepreneurs; entrepreneur resource providers from the private, government, and university sectors; tech company executives; and leaders of supportive organizations
Our Events: Hosted by the Columbia Daily Tribune, Columbia Tech Network provides quarterly, informal gatherings of Columbia’s high-tech community — executives, entrepreneurs, investors, vendors, and anyone else committed to Columbia’s high-tech success. Each event provides an opportunity to hear from and question two speakers who are at the forefront of shaping our technology future.
Our Network: Here are some of the organizations, companies and individuals involved in tech development in the Columbia area:
Missouri Innovation Center, or MIC, is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 1984 with initial funding from the State of Missouri. Its purpose is translation of research innovations into technologies, products, processes, and new ventures that benefit society. MIC also has close connections with a lot of organizations in Columbia community such as University of Missouri (MU), Missouri Department of Economic Development and Centennial Investors.
Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) is available to answer your economic development questions and help make Columbia and Boone County, Missouri, home to your business. Organized in 1988 to promote positive economic expansion in Columbia and Boone County, REDI is a nonprofit, public/private partnership that works to provide increased economic opportunities for the area while maintaining a high quality of life.
Centennial Investors was created to meet the early capital needs of university and private sector entrepreneurs. Our organization will assist with bringing to market exciting ideas generated in university labs and private businesses.Often referred to as “Angel Investing,” this private capital is an important requirement for creating new products, services and jobs in our community.
MU Office of Research exists to foster an academic environment in which MU’s research, instruction, service, and economic development missions are permeated by the joy and rigor of original discovery, creativity, innovation and scholarship. Our three main goals are to facilitate the ability of MU’s faculty, students and staff to engage in research and innovation, create a research-centered academic environment and aim to help grow and financially sustain MU’s research enterprise.
University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UCIE) , also known as University of Missouri Extension’s Business Services and Programs, exists to help Missouri’s entrepreneurs succeed in private enterprise and to promote the economic development of the state of Missouri. It performs this vital service through a network of business counselors located throughout the state. UCIE includes Missouri Small Business Center and Technology Development Center, Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers and Technology Development and Commercialization Center.
Office of Technology Management and Industry Relations (OTMIR) works to identify, assess, protect and market commercially viable intellectual property developed at The University of Missouri. The OTMIR evaluates new technologies, obtains patent protection where needed, identifies licensees and negotiates all intellectual property agreements. The mission of OTMIR is to identify commercializable technology resulting from research performed at MU.
Community Economic and Entrepreneurial Development, or ExCEED, a service of Missouri Extension.Through knowledgeable and dedicated Extension faculty, ExCEED and University of Missouri Extension works to promote expanding economic development, create processes through which communities can access the University’s resources to assist their local economies, as well as provide entrepreneurial education, research and assessment services to Missouri citizens.
The League of Innovators is a creative club dedicated to inspiring and enabling innovation
by providing a variety of work environments, events, funding opportunities, logistical
support, and shared resources. Any given day brings a new event, a new resource, and a new mix of members to help spark members’ creativity. The League of Innovators wants a mix of people from different backgrounds who share a common passion for innovation and could care less about local competition and are instead focused on solving big problems in creative ways.
Collaboration, Leadership and Innovation for Missouri Business (CLIMB) is a student organization created to facilitate the students’ and faculties’ ideas commercialization and search for funding. The purpose of CLIMB is to provide an open-source framework and platform for students, faculty, and community members of Missouri to present entrepreneurial ideas and form teams to generate new innovative business opportunities in Missouri.
The Entrepreneurial Alliance is one of many initiatives designed to foster a culture of innovation at MU. The movement is motivated by students who see the value in entrepreneurship and is fueled by business leaders who know that growth during a down economy depends on startups.Alliance members explore personal opportunities in various areas of business startups, franchises, and family run businesses.
ComoRichWeb Group is a monthly user group Columbia, Mo that is focused around web application development and just about anything else remotely connected to it. The ComoRichWeb has set up mailing list, tweeter account and regular monthly meetings to discuss interesting topics.
Hacks&Hackers. Journalists call themselves “hacks,” someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code. Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds. This group is to bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of their world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. This group aims to help members find inspiration and think in new directions, bringing together potential collaborators for projects and new ventures.
MU Entrepreneurs are striving to be the entrepreneurial resource on the University of Missouri’s campus. At the same time, MU entrepreneurs help identify the opportunities available at Mizzou as well as help people network and create their own businesses with the mission to foster creativity and innovation and provide students with the resources and knowledge to put their ideas into action.
Mid-Missouri Multimedia User Group(MMUG) meets monthly to support the Adobe® community in Columbia and the surrounding area. Both students and professionals are welcome. Join us to learn tips and techniques for a variety of Adobe® tools. You’ll also get the chance to network with other users as well as an opportunity to win some great prizes from Adobe®. There’s no membership fee or commitment.