Ribbon-cutting and open house set for the Launch Pad, a home for start ups in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A new hub for collaboration and entrepreneurship is officially set to open its doors with a celebratory ribbon-cutting event in Downtown St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce announced the ribbon cutting and open house will take place Wednesday at 801 Felix St., the site of Downtown's new tech-focused coworking and business start-up center called the Launch Pad.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 4 p.m., followed by the open house at 6:30 p.m., a chance to highlight the facility's flexible range of workspaces — including open coworking areas, dedicated desks, and private office rentals — along with shared-use technology, conference rooms, business-grade amenities, and professional development support.

The facility, announced last November, aims to provide entrepreneurs with the space and tools needed to grow, collaborate and realize their business dream. The space will also feature training and professional services, including legal, accounting, and business development support and networking events, pitch nights, and mentorship opportunities.

The Launch Pad is the result of key collaborative efforts between the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, Mosaic Life Care and groups like the Show-Me Network and Missouri Technology Corporation, which has provided a three-year grant to develop and manage the space.

As part of The Launch Pad's extensive programming schedule, vital for business growth among young entrepreneurs, the facility will host 20-plus community and business events annually, offer more than 100 mentorship hours and support the creation or retention of at least 10 local jobs each year.

Those interested in learning more can contact Kristie Arthur by email at arthur@saintjoseph.com, by phone at (816) 364-4113 or submit an interest form at stjlaunchpad.com.