Kansas City gigabit projects can snag up to $25K from Mozilla
January 26, 2016 | Bobby Burch
The Mozilla Foundation is planning to empower Kansas City techies to improve their city.
The foundation — along with the National Science Foundation and US Ignite — announced Monday that it’s allocating $300,000 to civically-minded, gigabit pilot projects in Kansas City and Chattanooga, TN.
The Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund is now accepting applications from techies and educators in both cities to submit ideas. Applicants can be local companies, non-profits or other institutions interested in tapping Kansas City’ gigabit speeds to improve education and workforce development.
If selected, projects can receive funding between $5,000 and $25,000, in addition to ongoing support and mentoring from Mozilla. The projects must take place in Kansas City, but applicants can come from around the world.
To date, the Fund has supported the development of 17 pilot projects in Kansas City and Chattanooga. Past projects include improved first-responder equipment, a real-time water quality monitoring system and singing robots.
While limited in funding size, the fund has had a positive effect on the local community, Mozilla Gigabit City Lead Lindsey Frost said.
“From relatively small grants have come huge impacts, as these projects continue as yearlong courses in our schools or even as full-fledged gigabit tech startups,” Frost said in a release.
Featured Business

2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Week of events creates startups, builds entrepreneurial community
The Kansas City entrepreneurial community is prepping for a week-long celebration of startups and entrepreneurship. 1WeekKC, which kicks off on May 29 and continues throughout the entire first week of June, will include a series of events created to empower entrepreneurs to come together, share ideas, get inspired, celebrate and connect. A group of community…
Techweek, Launch KC winners have shot at more money
The winning company at a demo day competition during Kansas City’s coming Techweek conference will earn a chance at nabbing significantly more dough. In addition to a $50,000 LaunchKC grant, the winning firm would have a shot at an added $50,000 from a national competition. LaunchKC — an initiative to attract 10 tech firms to relocate to Kansas…
KC coworking studios align to create cohesion, understanding
A cadre of Kansas City coworking studio leaders are working together to bring awareness to their trade through a new alliance. Twelve organizations thus far have banded together to collectively raise their profiles to attract more businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals to use the array of coworking studios in Kansas City. “Coworking is really starting to…
