RECAP: 1 Million Cups features MotaVera and YouSpin

Kansas City’s 1 Million Cups event was on display this week with a full room and a camera crew on hand, recording content for an upcoming website update.

The two featured startups  — MotaVera and YouSpin — rose to the challenge of the added pressure, and introduced attendees to their respective startups.

First to present was MotaVera, an online platform that enables college students to connect with small- and medium-sized businesses for internships and job opportunities. Truman State University students recognized a need for the product while looking for internships and jobs themselves.

“I saw this problem,” MotaVera co-founder Nep Orshiso said. “I saw that it was a real problem, and I saw my peers having trouble with [finding jobs]. It was very easy to relate to them.”

The MotaVera team wanted to create a job platform that is different from other available solutions, including the career service center at their school.

“We focus on the small- to medium-sized opportunities,” said Orshiso. “The small opportunities are generally overshadowed.”

MotaVera will be mobilizing student representatives who will target other student groups to promote the platform, and the opportunities listed on it. MotaVera plans to launch their minimum viable product by the end of 2015.

Following MotaVera was YouSpin, an interactive, virtual jukebox system for bars, clubs and restaurants. Founder Adell Hendon created the solution to help engage patrons by allowing them to influence the type of music that is played at a particular venue.

“You can pick songs from your phone,” said Adell. “Everyone gets to vote on the songs they want to hear. … Those most popular will play first, and everyone gets to hear what they want to hear.”

YouSpin is currently offering its beta version, and will be available for $600 per month. It includes a platform for customers to chat with other bar patrons, vote on music, get drink specials and learn about upcoming events.