Food Biz Con Pitch Competition

2026 Food Biz Con Pitch Competition

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March 6, 2026
K-State Olathe Campus
 

Mid-Continent Public Library’s Square One Small Business Center will host its second annual Pitch Competition for local businesses as part of this year’s Food Biz Con, a free conference with educational workshops and networking opportunities for local food entrepreneurs. This year’s Food Biz Con will be held March 4–6 at the K-State Olathe Campus (22201 W Innovation Dr, Olathe, KS) and is a bilingual event, with sessions in both English and Spanish.

2026 Food Biz Con will feature keynote presentations by Jackie Nguyen, founder of Cafe Cà Phê, Chef Jasper Mirabile, Jr., owner of Jasper's Restaurant, and Jill Silva, James Beard Award-winning food editor & writer and co-owner of Silva + Stern PR, as well as breakout sessions on a variety of topics related to food businesses—from legal and financial considerations to staffing, sourcing, and manufacturing. Day Three, March 6, will be devoted solely to the Pitch Competition organized by MCPL’s Square One.

Made possible by funding from the Kauffman Foundation, the Pitch Competition will give six local food entrepreneurs the opportunity to win cash prizes for their innovative business ideas. The top three winners will be selected by the panel of judges and will receive $5,000, $3,000, and $1,000, respectively. The panel will be made up of bilingual business and entrepreneurial leaders. In order to participate in the Pitch Competition, contestants had to qualify (food-based business in the Kansas City metro area, earning between $250 and $100,000 in gross annual revenue) and apply. This year’s contestants include:

 

Come cheer and celebrate the bold spirit of KC’s small business scene—all in one unforgettable event.

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This initiative was made possible by a generous grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

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