Digital Sandbox helps entrepreneurs fight summer slump

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.