The State of Kansas was allocated $69M in U.S. Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) dollars. The programs created as a result of the funding are the GROWKS Loan Fund ($42M) and the GROWKS Equity Fund ($27M). The following FAQs are related to the GROWKS Equity Fund.

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Who can apply for a GROWKS equity investment?

For-profit, Kansas-based companies looking for capital co-investment and raising a funding round of less than $20M. 

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What are the requirements to qualify as a Kansas-based company?

• Entity organized and/or incorporated in the State of Kansas and registered with the Kansas Secretary of State to do business in the state.

• If the entity is a Delaware corporation, it must be registered with the Kansas Secretary of State as a foreign entity doing business in Kansas.

• Business’s primary location must be in Kansas.

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What does a GROWKS equity project look like?

A company that is seeking funds for investment in their business and is well suited for venture funding. These companies will typically have a scalable business model with the potential to generate strong capital returns. The funding round must have co-investor participation alongside the GROWKS investment. The deal structure would be on market terms and the GROWKS investment would share the same terms as the co-investors.

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What does a GROWKS equity project NOT look like?

A company that is not seeking funding from other co-investors and is not interested in taking on a business-investor relationship that an equity investment entails. Companies participating in speculative activities or earn more than half of their revenue from lending activities, pyramid sales, gaming/gambling activities, or any activity prohibited by federal law are not eligible. Any conflicts of interest from the business owner, partners, or family members would also disqualify the company from GROWKS funding.

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Am I required to have other co-investors participating in the funding round to secure GROWKS equity investment?

Yes, a GROWKS equity investment requires co-investment dollars alongside the GROWKS program and participates on the same deal terms as the co-investors.

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What types of funding qualify as co-investment funds?

Qualifying funds would be: new capital investment from angel investors, an angel investment fund, a venture capital fund, personal funds, or friends and family. GROWKS must participate on the same terms as the other investors in the round. Funding from the following sources would NOT be considered qualifying co-investment funds: local or regional revolving loan funds (RLFs), NetWork Kansas loan funds, public sources of financing, or grants.

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What are the reporting requirements?

Businesses that receive GROWKS investment funds are required to, at minimum, provide GROWKS with quarterly and annual updates and business data by stated deadlines. The data required for reporting will be specified by GROWKS and U.S. Department of the Treasury guidelines at the time of investment. 

 

How do businesses begin the application process?

Businesses will be connected to the GROWKS equity team to discuss the application process and determine eligibility. The GROWKS equity team will conduct a due diligence review for qualifying businesses who apply for investment. Contact information for the equity team is listed below.

 

How often will applications be accepted and/or reviewed? 

Applications for funding are accepted on an on-going basis. Applications are then reviewed by the GROWKS equity team over a 30- to 45-day period.

 

Where can I go for more information?

The GROWKS equity programs are managed by Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures (EGV).

Visit www.growks.com for more information. Contact the equity team by email or phone with further questions.

Email - equity@networkkansas.com

Phone - (877) 521-8600