Mozilla grants boost local 3D modeling, literacy, STEM
May 16, 2016 | Bobby Burch
The Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund awarded three Kansas City organizations a total of nearly $60,000 in grants to build gigabit-enabled tech projects.
Mozilla gifted the funds to PlanIt Impact, Pennez and the KC Social Innovation Center, which will allow the groups to implement 16-week pilot testing from May 16 to Sept. 4. Mozilla also awarded $75,000 to fund six projects in Chattanooga.
“Grantees will utilize the awarded funds to build, pilot and scale gigabit-enabled applications and associated curricula that have immediate, measurable impact on classrooms and informal learning organizations,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post. “Through these projects, Chattanooga and Kansas City will become living laboratories in which to study how these next-generation networks can impact education and workforce development.”
Here are the specific projects in Kansas City:
- Open Data + 3D Models by PlanIT Impact: The company is putting its big data + 3D modeling technology in the hands of students in Kansas City to advance sustainable design.
- Read2Think by Pennez – A live-time digital assessment tool for measuring a child’s reading fluency. The application utilizes artificial intelligence technology to assess speed, vocabulary, understanding, sight word, pronunciation and phonics recognition.
- SensED IoT Student Innovation Challenge by the KC Social Innovation Center. The organization will be creating a project-based STEM program for 7 – 12 graders to provide real-world experiences in the emerging field of the Internet of Things.
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.
The Gigabit Community Fund is a collaboration with National Science Foundation and US Ignite, and is investing in projects that utilize gigabit technology to impact learning. The grant program was announced in January.
The application period for the next round of Gigabit Community Fund grants closes on October 18 for pilots that will run from Jan. 2 to April 24.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
After ‘largest product launch ever,’ Tesla attracts KC futurists
In a week, electric car maker Tesla has spurred an automotive ardor whose fervor may only be rivaled by the replacement of horses with the Ford Model T. Tesla’s new Model 3 has received more than 325,000 pre-orders in seven days, which corresponds to about $14 billion in implied future sales. The sales represent the…
Events Preview: Start Fest, HBD Village Square
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW Start Fest When: April 8 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Where: KCKCC Technical Education Center It is time for…
Kansas City Design Week convenes community for creatives
A quick trek through the Crossroads Arts District effortlessly affirms that Kansas City is a hub for creativity. And with Kansas City Design Week, those creative-types have a hub of their own. The KCDW, set for April 7 through 16, brings together a plethora of creative minds to challenge skills, connect designers with business resources…
Kansas City’s Five Elms injects $4M in Omaha startup
Kansas City-based Five Elms Capital recently led a round of financing for an Omaha blog-hosting startup. Five Elms led a $4 million round for Flywheel, allowing the startup to add features to its platform for designers and agencies, as well as beef up marketing and sales operations. Linseed Capital and the Nebraska Angels, a network…