NXTUS Kicks Off the New Year with Customer Traction Cohort Serving 22 Startups
Photo from the 2026 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort workshop.
Wichita, Kan. – January 14, 2026 – NXTUS, Inc. today launched the 2026 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort program, supporting 22 early-stage entrepreneurs from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska with solutions spanning service, technology, hard tech, and product-based industries. For the first time, the program opened applications nationwide, attracting 58 contenders from six states.
The program provides participants with personalized one-on-one coaching from a national partner, focusing on product-market fit and customer acquisition strategies. Entrepreneurs will also build connections through in-person workshops and receive ongoing professional pitch coaching and mentorship.
“This cohort brings together founders who are focused on growing strong, sustainable businesses that uplift innovation and opportunity throughout the Heartland,” said Amber Dunn, Program Director, NXTUS. “We’re excited to work alongside this outstanding group of startups as they strengthen their customer acquisition muscles, build momentum, and create lasting impact in the communities and markets they serve.”
The 2026 Customer Traction Cohort:
Accelerate Physical Therapy and Performance (Wichita, KS)
Brad Zwick Innovation (Wichita, KS)
buildNest (Olathe, KS)
Covalent Construction Solutions (Wichita, KS)
DogMa316 (Kechi, KS)
Electraform Equipment (Lawrence, KS)
Freeman Constructs (Goddard, KS)
GCE (Wichita, KS)
Get Ya Color on (Wichita, KS)
Grounds for Success (Liberal, KS)
KONKEH Artisan Alfajor Pastries (Wichita, KS)
Lucille Group (Wichita, KS)
Maze Freight Solutions (Overland Park, KS)
Merchpath (Kansas City, MO)
MyPrepBoss (Wichita, KS)
Ogallala (Wichita, KS)
Pitchster (Olathe, KS)
Promax Freight (Wichita, KS)
Set Your Sites (Lincoln, NE)
Sugaring With Love (Wichita, KS)
Toadworx (Wichita, KS)
Worktern (Overland Park, KS)
New this year, NXTUS welcomed seven ACCEL-KS at Groover Labs grant recipients. Funded by the Kansas Department of Commerce, the ACCEL-KS program helps Kansas innovators transform ideas into scalable products by providing early funding, mentorship, and access to critical resources.
"We designed ACCEL-KS at Groover Labs to provide a range of startup resources to Kansas early-stage founders, because they often need more than just funding," said Tracy Hoover, Co-Founder of Groover Labs. "That's why we're pleased that regional founders have access to programs like the Customer Traction Cohort, to help them develop critical skills that turn nascent product ideas into viable businesses and connect them with potential customers to help them refine and improve their products."
The Customer Traction Cohort is also supported by the Kansas Department of Commerce, along with long-time partners Network Kansas, Evergy, the Greater Wichita Partnership, and Fidelity.
“For several years, we have been a proud supporter of the Customer Traction Cohort program offered by NXTUS,” said Erik Pedersen, President & COO, Network Kansas. “From the start, it feels different from other programs, calculating a pre-program Fluency Score, to analyze risks in the entrepreneur's business model. In the middle is a cohort-based series of coaching modules to refine and improve, and the program is wrapped up with a post-program Fluency Score to show progress and market readiness. I haven't seen that closed-loop method in other programs, and the success stories from both rural and urban entrepreneurs speak to its track record.”
Now in its fifth year, the program has graduated 70 startups from 24 Kansas counties and Missouri, generating $39 million in lifetime revenue and creating or retaining 92 employees. It continues to provide customized learning that helps early-stage Kansas companies overcome challenges, generate revenue, and develop scalable offerings.
For more information about the program or to view participant details, visit https://www.nxtus.io/nxtstage-customer-traction-cohort.