LaunchCode’s plan to expand nationally is becoming clearer.
Kansas City Mayor Sly James will on Tuesday announce his intentions of luring LaunchCode to Kansas City during his State of the City address, according to LaunchCode officials. Kansas City would be LaunchCode’s third market — it already operates out of its headquarters in St. Louis with another office in Miami.
Annie-Rose Fondaw, a spokeswoman for LaunchCode, said the organization is working with the mayor’s office and with potential funding sources to secure the financing needed to open a Kansas City location. Previously, Brendand Lind, co-founder and executive director of LaunchCode, said expansion to a new city would require about $1 million. LaunchCode could tap into funding from the Kauffman Foundation, the Missouri Technology Foundation and others in the Kansas City innovation community.