RISE - Co.Create (Lexington Innovation Office)

The Kentucky Cabinet of Economic Development’s (CED) KY Innovation office seeks proposals to reimagine and update support for high-tech, high-growth potential startup companies throughout the Commonwealth via the RISE initiative. UK will participate as a component of a Lexington consortium in a proposal led by the Awesome Center for Entrepreneurship, a Kentucky non-profit corporation operated by Awesome, Inc (Lexington, KY). The UK subaward will provide support for the UK Lexington Innovation Office, the downtown Lexington office of the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship in the Gatton College of Business and Economics. The UK Lexington Innovation Office’s mission is to support high-tech, high-growth potential startup companies in Lexington and beyond through 1-on-1 coaching, startup focused education and networking programming, and support of the Lexington entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Lexington Innovation Office enjoys strong collaborative relationships with Lexington’s Bluegrass Angels investor group and venture funds, Commerce Lexington, and numerous other stakeholders that support entrepreneurship throughout KY. The UK Lexington Innovation Office provides specialized services in support of technology-based, high-tech, scalable companies referred through channel partners such as the UK Office of Technology Commercialization, the Bluegrass Angels, Commerce Lexington, the Bluegrass SBDC, the Statewide SBDC network, and the Commonwealth Commercialization Center partnership between UK and CED. Client archetypes include technology-based startups and startups seeking funding through SBIR/STTR grant mechanisms and risk-based investment capital. The RISE UK subaward includes support to maintain an existing suite of services as well as creation of six (6) new programs aimed to fill identified voids in the Lexington startup ecosystem.