Independence Innovation Center asks council to renew partnership, fund expansion and cover maintenance

Danielle Dupri, executive director of the Independence Innovation Center, told the City Council on June 8 that the incubator — housed in the former Independence Regional Hospital — is at capacity and needs renewed city partnership and funding to maintain and expand services.

"Right now we sit at 70 and we are at capacity and we have a list of 30 entrepreneurs waiting to get into our kitchens," Dupri said, summarizing the center's immediate space constraints. She said the center supports food and technology entrepreneurs through shared commercial kitchens, biosafety level-1 laboratories, co-working space and free business coaching.

The center emphasized measurable local impact: Dupri cited the organization's historical figures, saying the center has "serviced 651 new businesses," delivered roughly a $20 million economic impact to the city and a $40 million impact to the state over its operating history. Board Chair Daniel O'Neal framed the center's origin as a community-led reuse of the vacant hospital that has since become a regional incubator.

Dupri told council members that the Innovation Center became an independent 501(c)(3) following the dissolution of the Independence Economic Development Council in 2023 and lost prior municipal funding tied to the EDC. That transition, she said, left the nonprofit with reduced operating reserves and limited financial history to qualify for matching grants. "As of January or July 1st, 2023, we started operating as the 501c3 ... so that created a new ... we went from having business credit to no credit," she said.

Council members pressed for specific data on outcomes and retention. Dupri said historical records are incomplete but estimated annual failure rates of 13–18 percent among clients and described a graduation policy: clients may remain up to five years but are encouraged to graduate if they reach about $1 million in sales. For graduated firms the center refers tenants to city economic development staff for transition assistance.

The presentation included a list of concrete needs: replacement of failing equipment (Dupri cited a $70,000 baker's oven that failed after three years), additional cold-storage/freezer capacity (the board had earmarked about $60,000 but structural work would add more cost), and more staff — the presenters said two full-time employees currently handle day-to-day operations.

Dupri asked the council to "renew the partnership, restore some operational funding" and to help the center unlock matching private and federal grants to scale capacity. "If we can double our program, we're going to double the impact to the city, right?" she said. Jennifer Hurst, a contractor helping the center with planning, added that the organization is exploring possible second locations and property partnerships but wants to remain in Independence.

Council members proposed follow-up steps including staff-level meetings with city management, tours of the facility and a request that Dupri provide a documented list of program graduates and outcomes from her tenure. Council members also discussed broader regulatory barriers for mobile food vendors (duplicate inspections and fees across health jurisdictions) and potential legislative support to streamline operations across the metro.

The council did not take any formal vote during the meeting; members agreed to coordinate further discussions with city management and to consider how limited city resources could best help the center address maintenance and expansion priorities.