Meet our Team
At the heart of the Ennovation Center is a dedicated team committed to empowering entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses to thrive. With deep roots in the Independence community and a shared passion for innovation, our staff combines decades of experience across business development, technology, and community engagement. Together, we provide the guidance, resources, and support that help transform ideas into successful ventures — building on the Ennovation Center’s proud legacy of fueling growth and opportunity for over 15 years.
Meet our Team
Meet Danielle DuPree, the Executive Director of the Ennovation Center. Danielle’s passion for helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses comes from her deep roots in the Independence community, where she was born and raised. She is a proud graduate of William Chrisman High School, Penn Valley College, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), where she was also a scholar athlete.
With over ten years of experience as a technology business consultant, Danielle specializes in digital transformation, business start-ups, and business retention and expansion. Danielle’s expertise includes developing IT strategies, implementing virtual reality and XR solutions, leveraging artificial intelligence, enhancing workflows, improving security, and utilizing ECM solutions. Additionally, she has experience in commercial printing and packaging, social media and marketing, and developing business partnerships.
When she’s not helping clients improve and build their businesses, Danielle enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and three children. She loves hiking, community volunteerism, playing sports and coaching or watching her children’s sports teams, and cheering on the Kansas City Royals, Mavericks, and Chiefs.
With Danielle’s knowledge and experience, the Ennovation Center can provide entrepreneurs with the support and resources they need to succeed in their business ventures. Contact the Ennovation Center today to learn how Danielle and the team can help you achieve your business goals.
Danielle proudly serves on the following Steering Committees: Global Entrepreneurship Week KC, Food Biz Con, Juneteenth Independence, Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast and Re:Art Fest.
Meet David, the Administrative Assistant at the Ennovation Center. David has a long, diverse history of experience in fast food, retail, nonprofits, records management, retirement benefits, the public sector, transportation, corporate revenue management, and gardening.
Born and raised in Texas, David has lived in four US states and has been a resident of Raytown, Missouri since 2009. He graduated from Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and subsequently graduated from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City with a Master of Divinity. Having served in pastoral ministry, with other nonprofits, the corporate sector, and school bus driving, David comes with a unique and wide variety of skills.
David has studied and put into practice aspects of market gardening on a small scale and has sold a variety of raw home grown produce. He loves the idea of being able to work with one’s own hands to produce something of value to the community. He is eager to assist the owners of small and new start businesses reach their fullest potential in the Ennovation Center.
Where Local Ideas Become Thriving Businesses
About Ennovation Center
This is our mission. This is our community. And this is just the beginning.
At Ennovation Center, we are more than just a facility — we are a launchpad for entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners who are ready to turn ideas into reality. Since opening our doors in 2010, we’ve helped launch over 500 businesses, providing the tools, resources, and guidance needed to thrive.
Our mission is simple: empower people to build sustainable businesses that strengthen our local economy and create lasting community impact. We do this by offering no-cost coaching, access to funding opportunities, cutting-edge workspaces, and a collaborative environment where ideas flourish.
From our 24/7 commercial kitchen to tech-focused coworking labs, we support food entrepreneurs, tech startups, service providers, and innovators across industries. We believe every great idea deserves a chance — and that true progress happens when people come together with purpose.
Every program we run, every client we support, and every event we host is part of a larger movement to inspire growth, create jobs, and build a stronger future for Independence, MO, and beyond.
We are here to guide. To connect. To grow — together.
Why Work with Us?
Proven Impact
Since 2010, we’ve helped launch 500+ businesses across food, tech, and service industries. Our graduates have gone on to create jobs, secure funding, and bring innovative products to market — proof that our programs deliver real results.
Community Driven
We’re more than a building. We’re a collaborative hub where entrepreneurs, mentors, and partners work side by side. Every success story is fueled by shared knowledge, peer support, and a culture of innovation.
Transparent
As a nonprofit, every resource we provide from funding support to kitchen access is tracked and reported with clarity. We make sure entrepreneurs know exactly where opportunities come from and how they can benefit.