Gallery: Lean Lab fellows set to disrupt KC education
July 20, 2015 | Bobby Burch
Already improving education for about 2,400 area students, the Lean Lab recently set loose another group of innovators hoping to transform Kansas City education.
The Kansas City-based education innovation incubator on Friday held its Launch Day, the culminating event of its incubator fellowship. The incubator conducted a five-week ideation program that assisted 10 fellows building prototypes of projects to improve Kansas City education and student outcomes, which is then tested within area schools.
Lean Lab co-founder Carrie Markel said there’s a common theme that’s emerged in Kansas City education in recent years, and it’s one that is hurting students’ performance and future. She anticipates through the Lean Lab’s second cohort that students and education will quickly improve.
“All those who work within the (education) system have expressed a lack of time, resources, and ability to connect with others in this work,” Markel said. “We believe that the solutions from Cohort 2 will have a profound impact on our city’s schools, the effects of which will not only be immediately apparent, but will compound over time to help build a world-class city renowned for education and innovation.”
Hosted at the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, the Launch Day event drew more than 100 people interested in witnessing the latest in education innovation.
Below are some photos of the event, and details on the projects now being tested in area schools. Enjoy!

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Women flex their tech muscles at KC conference
Framed by a LEGO guitar and robotic vehicle, Rheanne Walton and Emma Howard anxiously review notes at their podium as dozens of technology experts await their pitch. The middle-school students are visiting the Kansas City Developers Conference to share the story of their all-girl robotics team, MindSTEM, and how it competes in the FIRST LEGO…
New lab hopes to boost digital inclusion in Kansas City
A new computer lab in Northeast Kansas City hopes to serve as a tech oasis in a digital desert among low-income households. Google donated and opened the new lab Monday in Chouteau Court, furthering the company’s mission to help bridge the area’s digital divide through education about computers and Internet use. Rachel Hack Merlo, Google…
Lantern scores big with Sporting Kansas City deal
Tech firm Lantern Software’s mobile app hit the right pitch with its hometown soccer team. The startup, located in Kansas City, Kan., recently partnered with Sporting Kansas City to offer its mobile concessions ordering platform. The deal, effective Saturday, will allow fans in Sporting KC’s Boulevard Members Club to order and pay for concessions on…
Scarcity of women, parents in startups offers research opportunity
It’s no secret that — like any business — an entrepreneurial ecosystem is disadvantaged without a diverse set of players. But hurdles such as late night meetings and male-dominated culture at startups create barriers to entry for two specific groups: women and parents. That’s why researchers at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation are taking another…
