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
Kansas City’s slow, steady entrepreneurial growth nabs No. 23 ranking
For the second year in a row, Kansas City maintained its rank as No. 23 out of 40 metros in entrepreneurial activity, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s 2016 Main Street Entrepreneurship report. The annual report covers the rate of business owners, established small business density, survival rate and more. These metrics are calculated…
Report: Area Latino business ownership surged in 2015
Latino business ownership is on the rise in the Kansas City area, according to a recent study. While area entrepreneurial activity has largely remained steady, the percent of Latinos that own businesses in Kansas City considerably increased from 2014 to 2015, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Index of Main Street Entrepreneurship. Now just…
Events Preview: Happy Thanksgiving!
There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Weekly Events Preview KC Roundtable When: Nov. 24, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Where: Eggtc KC Roundtable is in existence to provide…
Chris Brown: Don’t make this common mistake when signing contracts
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult an attorney. Among the benefits of operating your startup or freelance business as an LLC is the limited liability for the company’s owners. Limited liability means the…