‘Kansas City Startup House’ aims to be smart home incubator
June 9, 2016 | Bobby Burch
A local tech founder is transforming his Kansas City, Kan., home to eventually become the area’s next incubator program.
Sports Photos founder Brandon Schatz recently launched the “Kansas City Startup Home” to host entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world. While it’s now serving as an Airbnb destination for techies, Schatz said in the next two months his house will become an incubator for those developing smart home technologies.
“It’s budding up now,” Schatz said. “Smart home technology is a huge market and also a personal interest. I love this stuff. … There are so many more things that companies can put together for smart homes. It’s an enormous industry.”
The program is located in the Kansas City Startup Village — near 45th and State Line Road — and adopts an idea from one of its neighbors, the Homes for Hackers program. Homes for Hackers welcomes techies from around the world to stay at the home rent-free for three to six months to work on projects.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to come to Kansas City to build connected-home technologies.” – Matthew Marcus
But instead of working on their own and staying for free, Schatz’s program will negotiate an equity swap in exchange for rent, mentorship and tech consultation. Schatz also would put an application process in place to select candidates for the incubator. Schatz has spent $15,000 on renovating the six-bedroom, two-bath house and plans to host up to six founders for the incubator. The home also has access to Google Fiber’s gigabit internet plan.
Schatz is already working on smart home technology called “Fridge Share.” Geared toward those in the home-sharing economy with services like Airbnb or VRBO, the tech would allow hosts to easily track and charge tenants for food in their refrigerators.
The incubator would become the latest asset for the Kansas City Startup Village. Founded in 2012, the village is a community of entrepreneurs that serendipitously moved to the first neighborhood to receive Google Fiber. It now serves as a home to more than 25 startup firms.
Matthew Marcus, a co-leader of the Kansas City Startup Village, said that the community is thrilled to see the idea.
“We’re super excited to hear about these types of innovative initiatives that continue to make Kansas City a fantastic place for entrepreneurship and tech,” Marcus said. “For the village itself, it’s fun to see the transformations that happen over time. … It’s an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to come to Kansas City to build connected-home technologies.”
Featured Business
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
C2FO accesses $30M investment with World Bank-backed IFC to expand KC firm’s working capital platform
A just-announced capital infusion for Leawood-built C2FO reflects a shared commitment with global partners to boosting jobs and strengthening economic opportunities — notably for micro, small and medium enterprises in emerging markets worldwide. The $30 million funding round features investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and existing…
Park capping I-670 gets an official name: South Loop project to honor longtime Republican bridge-builder
Kansas City’s high-profile South Loop Project — a proposed sustainable urban park capping a portion of I-670 — now has a name that pays homage to a leader who played a key role in launching the project: Roy Blunt Luminary Park. “As a working title, the South Loop Project has served us well,” said Jeff…
Not just a pet project: Why this KC e-commerce team adopted a dog supplement brand as its own
The Morgans — the family behind Marknology, a bootstrapped digital marketing firm specializing in Amazon sales — are taking a dog supplement brand that they built as a client to the next level now as owners, they shared. Waggedy — veterinarian-formulated supplements to keep dogs healthy and active, launched by Ben Bellinson in 2015 in…
She’s the mixologist of melt: Jess Priemer blends a cocktail of Kansas City into candle scents
With niche blends like 18th & Vine (whiskey, tobacco, and rose) and KC BBQ (hickory, oak, and BBQ sauce), Jess Priemer evokes memories and local landmarks with the lighting of each wick. Her candles are the best part of what makes Kansas City uniquely home, she said. “I love this city, like everybody else around…