TOPEKA, Kan. — Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the department’s Office of Innovation has selected two partner organizations to implement the Proof-of-Concept portion of its Accelerating Concept to Commercialization in Kansas (ACCEL-KS) program. The partners are Groover Labs in Wichita and the University of Kansas Innovation Park in Lawrence.
The selection marks a major milestone in Kansas’ strategic efforts to fast-track innovation and support entrepreneurs in bringing their innovative ideas to market.
“These awardees are committed to building and growing the Kansas innovation ecosystem,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Each organization brings unique expertise and statewide reach to empower and support innovators and entrepreneurs, commercialize concepts, and build future-ready industries across Kansas.”
Launched in April 2025, ACCEL-KS requested proposals from Kansas-based incubators and innovation hubs to establish a statewide Proof-of-Concept (PoC) program aimed at identifying and supporting idea- and early-stage entrepreneurs in the state. The program emphasizes technical assistance, mentorship, prototyping resources and commercialization support to advance high-impact PoC projects.
The Kansas Department of Commerce received 10 proposals totaling $3.8 million in funding requests. After a rigorous review process, two outstanding proposals were selected. These projects will receive a combined $800,000 to support at least 32 commercialization efforts, with the requirement that at least 30% of the supported projects originate in rural Kansas.
ACCEL-KS is a bold Commerce initiative with a commitment to support homegrown companies, innovation and entrepreneurship. The Proof-of-Concept programs led by the selected awardees will strengthen the state’s pipeline of market-ready solutions, drive economic growth, and create high-quality jobs across the state.
“Through ACCEL-KS, we are activating a new model of innovation leadership in Kansas,” Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Romaine Redman said. “These partners will serve as the foundation of a statewide PoC network, tasked with ensuring innovators and entrepreneurs from across the state have access to the resources they need to bring their innovative products to the commercial market.”
The selected partners will begin their programs in July. Entrepreneurs, innovators and idea-stage startups across Kansas are encouraged to engage with these centers to access support.
For more information and to connect with the ACCEL-KS network, click here.
About the Kansas Department of Commerce:
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses, and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.
