1MC Recap: PerfectCube, Mission Academy help customers take action
July 8, 2015 | Abby Tillman
Two local startups took the 1 Million Cups stage to discuss their solutions — each with a goal of helping their customers take action.
PerfectCube started the entrepreneurial program by presenting their data analytics web tool designed for small retail stores and franchise systems.
“We’ve pivoted a half dozen times on what we offer,” said PerfectCube founder Jim Starcev. “But we’ve always stuck with the same market — the small retail market. … We’re wanting to help those companies compete on a larger scale.”
The company’s tool focuses on actionable data, more so than big data, Starcev said. PerfectCube aims to help small retail stores gain insights on their customers so they can take steps to maximize their business.
PerfectCube has built out an initial version of their web-based tool, and is now working on its next iteration. The company hopes to launch version two during the fourth quarter of this year, and secure paying customers at that time.
The startup has also closed an initial round of seed funding, and is currently looking to expand their team, adding a developer and data scientist.
Mission Academy, an online educational platform for missionaries, followed PerfectCube’s presentation. Mission Academy’s platform will provide how-to videos, resources, webinars and online courses to missionaries preparing for mission trips. The resources will be made available in order to help volunteers take appropriate action to plan for and be successful in their work.
“There is a lack of resources out there for missionaries,” said Mission Academy founder Sam Werner. “We’re going to solve this problem — the headaches and the heartaches that missionaries go through.”
Currently Werner is considering a subscription model for the platform, charging between $20 and $30 per month for access to the website’s resources, including help from travel agents and insurance agents who understand the mission field.
Missions Academy is still under development, but Werner stated that he hopes to launch in the fall and is already marketing the concept to missionaries.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Early success gave this young entrepreneur the credibility to bridge community, business gaps
At 21, Jonathan Pitallo is already an entrepreneur, real estate agent, and investor, he shared, but community engagement might be his biggest passion, he said. The Kansas City, Kansas, resident and Belton native founded Vive Promo and Print, is an agent at EXP Realty, and owns three properties, but he’s also an ambassador for the…
KC inventor rolls elevated litter box to market (and cats already are making the leap)
Amy Leiker can take criticism and feedback, the Lenexa-based LoftyLoo creator said, noting she couldn’t have survived a career in corporate marketing and health care without it. So when it comes to her elevated litter box invention, she’s quick to jump to its defense, but open to making the product even more user (and cat)…
I am Iron Man: Overland Park startup’s AI mouse brings voice-activated tech to your fingertips
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark talks to an artificial intelligence program within his Iron Man suit to get immediate access to information — as if he’s having a conversation with AI. Although Stark is a fictional character imbued with vast powers via such tech, Jerry Hsu said, users don’t have to be a…
Chef Dwight Tiller wants to disrupt the macaroni market; up first: he has the Muncheez
A new concept from a popular food truck-turned-food hall chef is more than just a cheesy transition between menus, Dwight Tiller said, it’s an evolution of his journey to bring higher quality and innovation to a culinary category often coated with forgettable flavors. Muncheez — a bold pivot from Tiller’s signature nachos to Kansas City’s mac-and-cheese…