Digital Sandbox helps entrepreneurs fight summer slump
June 16, 2015 | Abby Tillman
With summer knocking at the door, Digital Sandbox KC is taking initiative to provide resources and instruction to keep entrepreneurs engaged and on-point.
Digital Sandbox, a proof-of-concept program that expedites area businesses’ projects, will host the third-annual “Summer in the Sand Series” as a way of prompting discussion around relevant topics for entrepreneurs.
“The Summer in the Sand Series is a dynamic way to engage the startup community and provide relevant and valuable educational support,” Digital Sandbox Director Jeff Shackelford said in a release. “We will bring experts, experienced business owners and investors who can address the specific needs of the entrepreneurial community.”
Digital Sandbox’s summer series will include four events, each held at the Sprint Accelerator, starting at 3:00 p.m.
- June 24 – Maria Meyers of KCSourceLink will speak about the funding landscape in Kansas City and will explore funding mechanisms available to early-stage companies in the local startup community.
- July 15 – Digital Sandbox’s Shackelford will advise entrepreneurs on how to make effective pitches.
- August 19 – A panel of successful business owners in Kansas City — including Stuart Ludlow of RFP365, Danny O’Neill of The Roasterie, and Babir Sultan of Royal Loyal — will review creative ways of achieving early customer acquisition.
- September 16 – A lineup of angel investors will discuss what they look for when making capital investment decisions. The panelists include Tom DeBacco of Flyover Capital, Lance LeMay of OpenAir Equity Partners, Jill Meyer of the UMKC Small Business Technology Development Center, and Rick Vaughn of Mid-America Angels.
Since its inception in 2013, Digital Sandbox has helped create 23 new businesses, 181 new jobs and its businesses have received $17.7 million in follow-on funding.
“This [series] is another way to connect valuable resources and to strengthen the ecosystem that makes Kansas City a great place to start a business,” Shackelford said.
Registration for the Summer in the Sand series is now open and is required for admission.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
With data pouring in, leaders discuss what’s next for the Smart City
As Kansas City’s Smart City initiative wraps up its first phase, advisory board members on Monday began looking to the future of the public-private project. Since the initiative’s launch in 2016, the City of Kansas City, Mo. has established itself as a leader in smart city infrastructure, KCMO innovation analyst Kate Garman said. But while…
Athlete Network adds hall-of-famer Warren Moon to its roster
It’s not everyday that you add a hall-of-fame quarterback to your team. In establishing a new, high-impact advisory board, Athlete Network has landed former NFL superstar Warren Moon as a team member that will help guide the startup moving forward. Moon previously played for the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and other pro teams, racking up…
2017 Sprint Accelerator class makes its KC introductions at 1 Million Cups
Less than two weeks into the program, the 2017 Sprint Accelerator cohort introduced themselves to the community on Wednesday at 1 Million Cups. The accelerator recently welcomed seven startups representing its two tracks — ag tech and digital — that arrives from all around the country. Hailing from states like Texas, New York, Florida, Georgia…
New book on Gen Z workforce taps Blue Valley CAPS
A book dissecting the behaviors of “Generation Z” entering the workforce has featured a Kansas City-area education program for its innovative model. Written by David and Jonah Stillman and published in March, Gen Z @ Work highlighted the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies as a model that’s better preparing students for an evolving…