RECAP: 1 Million Cups features MotaVera and YouSpin
June 10, 2015 | Abby Tillman
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.
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Crown prime location: How two KC foodies are creating Museum of BBQ in one of the world’s barbecue capitals
A new museum — showcasing Kansas City as a barbecue capital of the world, as well as how meat takes on its famous flavors — is set to open in spring 2025 the Crown Center Shops, led by two veterans of the local food scene, and complete with barbecue baked beans ball pit. The aptly…
‘Wonderful things anywhere’: Entrepreneurs share keys to ‘Main Street’ success
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. COLUMBIA, Missouri — When Willy Schlacks noticed what he said were inefficiencies plaguing…
Sweet Peaches wants a bigger piece of the pie; crowdfunding could scale this small biz across US
Community support will be key for Sweet Peaches Cobblers next batch of growth, said Denisha Jones, announcing plans to use Kickstarter funding to pack her flavorful and beloved family desserts into the freezers of more major retailers across the U.S. Already a local Kansas City favorite, Sweet Peaches Cobbler can be found in more than…
Jeremy Terman turned a likely ‘no’ into a tech career; his advice: Don’t wait for permission to start
The biggest risks are in doing nothing, said Jeremy Terman, encouraging entrepreneurship students at UMKC to take the plunge — even if at times the world might be telling them they aren’t ready. “You don’t have to be in a box. You don’t have to listen to what the rules are,” said Terman, an investor…