Policy in Action panel brings tri-state representatives together to talk Innovation

The “From the Field: Policy in Action” panel at the Kauffman Foundation brought representatives from Iowa, Kansas and Missouri together to discuss entrepreneurship and innovation.

The panel came as a part of the multi-day Incentives to Innovate event held at the foundation and featured Stan Ahlerich from the Kansas Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, Bill Anderson from the Missouri Technology Corporation and Brian Waller from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The panelists spoke about topics concerning entrepreneurs including STEM education, funding and initiatives to make their respective states more entrepreneurial.

One question posed to the panelists asked what they would do if allocated $50 million for entrepreneurship.

“We would listen to what the entrepreneurs in the community said their needs were,” Waller said.

Ahlerich described that there is no one thing that would enhance the state of entrepreneurship.

“There’s no magic bullets,” he said.

All of the panelists agreed on the importance of STEM education.

Anderson said that the key to the success of STEM education was “exposure to younger and younger kids.”

Waller added that STEM education and entrepreneurship go hand in hand.

“We believe that entrepreneurship is embedded in there,” he said.

The panel was just one of the events held during this larger event, which started Wednesday and concluded Thursday evening.