Startup Hutch director tells Reno County of loan deferrals, digital outreach and early client growth

Jackson Swarer, entrepreneur navigator and director at Startup Hutch, briefed the Reno County Commission on Sept. 8 about his organization's activity during the pandemic and its year-one priorities.

Swarer said Startup Hutch has offered payment deferrals to borrowers and partnered with Network Kansas and other local partners to deliver loans and restart assistance for hospitality and other affected businesses. "We were just a signpost to direct people to where they need to go," he said, describing referral work on PPP and other relief programs.

He also described a new branding and marketing effort, a private online community called the Startup Hutch Idea Exchange, and a nascent video library of resources for entrepreneurs. Swarer said Startup Hutch has nearly 500 followers on its Facebook page and about 150 members in the private group.

Commissioners thanked Swarer and asked the organization to provide measurable metrics for county investments. The chair requested tools to evaluate whether allocated county money is producing intended outcomes and asked Startup Hutch to build those measurement tools into future reports.

Swarer said the Quest Ventures Fund (an existing capital pool) could be used as a future source for equity-style investments, and he invited local potential investors to engage with Startup Hutch's pipeline.