Kansas State University Olathe

What Kansas State University Olathe does

Kansas State University Olathe is a public branch campus of Kansas State University established in 2015 as part of the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT), a voter-approved initiative serving the Greater Kansas City region from its single campus in Olathe, Kansas. The campus operates as a "next-generation land-grant" innovation hub with approximately 30+ staff and 16 named faculty, delivering 15+ academic programs spanning undergraduate certificates through doctoral degrees in fields aligned with regional industry strengths — principally animal health, food science, urban food systems, and advanced manufacturing. Specialized research facilities include the Sensory and Consumer Research Center (consumer/sensory testing for industry clients), the Postharvest Physiology Lab (shelf-life and industrial hemp testing), the Food Innovation Accelerator (a 50+ client shared-use commercial kitchen incubator), and the Advanced Manufacturing Hub / Bulk Solids Technology Center currently under construction. The campus also operates conference and event services, a professional and continuing education division offering industry-focused short courses (advanced manufacturing, animal health regulatory affairs, leadership, food systems, transportation/CDL), and an Industry Mentor Program linking graduate students with STEM professionals across 30+ partner companies including Ceva, Merck Animal Health, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Garmin, and AMC Entertainment.

Revenue is generated across five streams: tuition and fees ($479–$570 per credit hour, with no out-of-state tuition and JCERT scholarships up to $7,500 for Johnson County residents), fee-for-service research (Sensory Center, bulk solids testing, AAFCO Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions program), professional development workshops and custom corporate training (delivered on-campus, on-site, or online), conference and event venue rentals, and shared-use kitchen rentals. The campus is funded primarily through JCERT public investment, tuition, competitive grants (notably $3M+ in U.S. DOT FMCSA CDL grants and $1.2M GRIP funding for urban food systems research), and fee-for-service activities, with revenue not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market combines sales-led recruiter engagement of KC Metro working professionals, event-driven industry touchpoints, and community-led research partnerships — most notably the 1Data collaboration with UMKC for regional human/animal health data sharing.

Name

Kansas State University Olathe

Legal name

Kansas State University

Website

https://olathe.k-state.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Public branch campus of Kansas State University in Olathe, Kansas, serving the Greater Kansas City region with academic degree programs, professional development workshops, and applied research services in animal health, food science, urban food systems, and advanced manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Olathe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Credit-hour based tuition for graduate and undergraduate degree programs, professional track programs, and certificate programs. Per credit hour pricing with additional fees.
2. Conference and Event Services: Campus venue rental for meetings, workshops, and conferences with professional event planning services. Includes room rental, catering coordination, and technology-equipped spaces.
3. Professional Development Workshops: Industry-focused short courses and workshops in advanced manufacturing, leadership skills, animal health regulatory affairs, food systems, and transportation. Custom training programs for corporate clients.
4. Research Services: Fee-for-service research through Sensory and Consumer Research Center, bulk solids testing, and other research labs. Scientific review of ingredient submissions through SRIS program.
5. Kitchen Space Rental: Shared-use kitchen rental for food business incubator clients through Food Innovation Accelerator, serving 50+ clients renting space and using professional equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

K-State Olathe is a public university campus offering academic degree programs (undergraduate certificates through doctoral degrees), professional development workshops, applied research services through specialized labs, and conference/event venue services. It operates as the Kansas City innovation campus of Kansas State University, focusing on animal health, food science, advanced manufacturing, and urban food systems to address regional workforce and industry needs.

Product overview

K-State Olathe is a next-generation land-grant university campus offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs, professional development services, and research capabilities. The institution provides academic degree programs at all levels (undergraduate certificates through doctoral degrees) across areas including animal health, food science, urban food systems, advanced manufacturing, and public health. Its professional and continuing education division delivers industry-focused workshops and custom training programs. Research services include the Sensory and Consumer Research Center, Food Innovation Accelerator, Postharvest Physiology Lab, and Urban Food Systems research initiatives. The campus also operates conference and event facilities serving the Greater Kansas City business community. Key initiatives focus on Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain development, and Food as Medicine and Community Health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Degree Programs Higher education offerings including undergraduate certificates, bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees across disciplines including animal health, food science, advanced manufacturing, and urban food systems, tailored to Greater Kansas City regional industries.
• Professional and Continuing Education Non-credit professional development workshops and training programs for workforce talent development in advanced manufacturing, leadership skills, food systems, transportation, and animal health regulatory affairs.
• Conference and Event Services Venue facilities for meetings, workshops, and conferences with professional event planning services, flexible space options, catering support, and technology-equipped meeting rooms in the Greater Kansas City area.
• Sensory and Consumer Research Center Full-service consumer research facility offering qualitative and quantitative research, descriptive analysis, consumer research, difference testing, and method development for industry clients in food and consumer products sectors.
• Food Innovation Accelerator Shared-use commercial kitchen complex and food business incubator serving as a resource for food entrepreneurs to scale up operations, develop products, and access professional equipment.
• Urban Food Systems Research Interdisciplinary research initiative focused on developing resilient urban food systems, addressing food security in urban environments, and studying the intersection of food production, community health, and climate change.
• Industry Mentor Program Program connecting graduate students with experienced STEM professionals for career guidance, networking, professional skill development, and increased awareness of industry career opportunities.
• Advanced Manufacturing Short Courses Industry-focused short courses combining theoretical knowledge with practical hands-on learning using real equipment and systems, tailored for working professionals in the advanced manufacturing sector.
• Postharvest Physiology Lab Research facility dedicated to studying plant response to technologies and applications that extend shelf life, enhance quality, and delay senescence, with industrial hemp testing also available.
• Smart Manufacturing and Bulk Solids Technology Center Advanced manufacturing research facility providing hands-on industry training and applied research capabilities for the manufacturing sector, including bulk solids testing and material handling research.
• Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions (SRIS) Program providing scientific review of animal food ingredient definition submissions in collaboration with AAFCO, offering reviews twice as fast as the prior FDA service.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36,817 alumni in Kansas City region contributing to local workforce
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, key and minor.

• U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Motor Carrier Safety AdministrationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Recipients of two CDL Program Implementation Grants totaling more than $3 million to engage with associations, industry and governmental agencies to improve the National CDL Program and make roadways safer.
• BioNexus KCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 1Data collaboration is a partnership between K-State, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and other organizations leveraging the region's unique strengths in human and animal health into an initiative that can transform and improve quality of life through data sharing research.
• University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership through 1Data collaboration combining regional strengths in human and animal health research data between K-State and UMKC.
• Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-State Olathe submitted proposal to provide scientific review for new animal food ingredient submissions, which would enable reviews twice as fast as previous FDA service, allowing industry to move forward with product development more timely.
• Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoter-approved public investment supporting education, research, and workforce development in Johnson County. JCERT funds support campus operations, scholarships, and strategic initiatives as one of three JCERT partners.
• Kansas Board of RegentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState higher education governing body providing oversight, approval, and regulatory coordination for campus academic programs and operations.
• Takasago InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership through doctoral dissertation collaboration with Gongshun Yang on 'Exploring the perception of freshness in home care scents through sensory and psychological dimensions.'
• Dean's Advisory Board MemberskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board includes industry leaders from Ceva Animal Health, Merck Animal Health, Kansas City National Security Campus, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Russell Stover Chocolates, Garmin, AMC Entertainment, and other organizations providing guidance on strategic plan implementation.
• Olathe Chamber of CommercekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber partnership supporting local business engagement, workforce development, and economic development initiatives in Johnson County.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Baker University: Private university with a Kansas City metro presence focused on adult learners and professional studies. Competes for graduate and continuing education enrollment in the same regional market; K-State Olathe finance and student services staff include former Baker University personnel.
• University of Kansas Edwards Campus: Satellite campus of the University of Kansas located in Overland Park, KS, immediately adjacent to Olathe. Directly competes for the same graduate, professional, and adult-learner market in the KC metro with comparable scale and program mix. K-State Olathe's Dean Ben Wolfe previously served as Associate Dean there.
• Avila University: Private Catholic university in Kansas City offering graduate and professional programs. K-State Olathe's Associate Dean Darrin Smith previously served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Avila, illustrating direct personnel overlap and competitive proximity in the KC graduate market.
• Park University: Private university headquartered in Parkville, MO with strong adult-learner, online, and KC metro professional education focus. Competes directly for working professionals seeking graduate and undergraduate completion degrees, and is a prior employer of multiple K-State Olathe student success staff.
• Rockhurst University: Private Jesuit university in Kansas City with graduate and professional programs targeting working adults. Competes for the same regional pool of graduate and continuing education students, with overlapping emphasis on leadership and workforce development.
• University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC): Major public research university in Kansas City offering graduate degrees, professional programs, and continuing education. Direct competitor for graduate enrollment and industry research partnerships in the same metro; also a 1Data collaboration partner on human and animal health data sharing.
• Johnson County Community College (JCCC): Community college located in Overland Park, KS (same county as K-State Olathe). Primary pipeline for transfer students into K-State Olathe's undergraduate completion programs and direct competitor for noncredit workforce development offerings in Johnson County.

Regional players

• University of Central Missouri: Public state university offering online graduate and professional programs that compete for the same regional adult-learner market. Located outside KC but reaches into the metro via online and workforce-oriented programs.
• Metropolitan Community College (MCC-KC): Multi-campus community college system serving the Kansas City metro on the Missouri side. Provides transfer pathways into regional universities and offers workforce and continuing education programs that overlap with K-State Olathe's professional development portfolio.

Others

• K-State Salina (Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus): Other branch campus of Kansas State University, located in Salina, KS, with focus on aerospace, engineering technology, and professional pilot training. Sister campus within the K-State system sharing central oversight and branding, though operating in a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KStateOlathe
• Facebookfacebook.com/KStateOlathe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/kansas-state-university-olathe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kansas State University Olathe