KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - Sep 19, 2012) - The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation today announced a new sponsorship of Silicon Prairie News. The Foundation's significant sponsorship will support the community-building organization in establishing a full-time presence in Kansas City, launching a series of entrepreneurship events here, and expanding its news coverage of entrepreneurial activity in the Midwest.

Since its founding in 2008, Silicon Prairie News has built a strong community among entrepreneurs and startup teams in the Silicon Prairie, a region loosely defined as a triangle between Kansas City, Omaha and Des Moines, Iowa. The company's website, siliconprairienews.com, publishes more than 100 articles a month and attracts visitors from around the globe. Silicon Prairie News' two signature entrepreneurship events -- Thinc Iowa and Big Omaha -- annually attract prominent speakers and attendees from more than 25 states.

With its sponsorship, the Kauffman Foundation becomes the site-wide sponsor of siliconprairienews.com; lead sponsor of Silicon Prairie News' flagship event series in Omaha, Des Moines and, new in 2013, Kansas City; lead sponsor of the 2013 Silicon Prairie News Awards; and lead sponsor for a new series of Silicon Prairie News' events in California, New York and other entrepreneurial hubs that will target entrepreneurs who were raised or educated in the Midwest but have relocated to other parts of the country.

"This sponsorship aligns with the Kauffman Foundation's mission to educate entrepreneurs by supporting efforts that provide the knowledge, skills and networks needed to start and grow businesses," said Thom Ruhe, Kauffman Foundation vice president of entrepreneurship. "We are proud to support Silicon Prairie News as it recognizes successful entrepreneurs in Kansas City and throughout the region and celebrates the jobs and wealth they create for society."

Silicon Prairie News will hire full-time staff members in Kansas City and plans an official Kansas City launch event in November.

"Today marks an important step in our organization's future," said Jeff Slobotski, co-founder and chief community builder of Silicon Prairie News. "Together, with the resources and support of the Kauffman Foundation, we are excited to continue building the region's startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem."

About the Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people's eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. In addition, the Foundation focuses on initiatives in the Kansas City region to advance students' math and science skills, and improve the educational achievement of urban students, including the Ewing Marion Kauffman School, a college preparatory charter school for middle and high school students. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.

About Silicon Prairie News
Silicon Prairie News is a digital media company dedicated to highlighting and supporting entrepreneurs, creatives and investors through an emerging model for grassroots entrepreneurial ecosystem development in and around Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City. Founded in 2008, SPN also produces events, such as the Silicon Prairie Series (Big Omaha, Thinc Iowa and a to-be-named Kansas City event) and the Startup Job Crawl. For more information, visit www.siliconprairienews.com, and follow Silicon Prairie News on www.twitter.com/siliconprairie and www.facebook.com/SiliconPrairieNews.