Photo gallery: Techweek’s LaunchKC Top 100 Expo
September 15, 2016 | Bobby Burch
Hundreds of Techweek Kansas City attendees converged on Union Station Thursday afternoon to explore dozens of startups part of the LaunchKC grants contest.
Now in its second year, the popular grants competition LaunchKC was again met with an enthusiastic response by applicants in 2016, drawing more than 400 applicants. The competition — which will distribute $500,000 via 10, $50,000 non-dilutive grants — will allow the top 20 applicants to pitch their firms Friday during a live presentation at Techweek KC. The grant competition is led by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the Downtown Council of Kansas City.
The expo Thursday featured the top 100 firms that applied in the contest. Below is a gallery from the event — enjoy!
Featured Business
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Best-in-show FitBark pet tech now groomed for 2019 launch on FitBit
Kansas City-bred FitBark is set to unleash a new partnership with industry-leading fitness wearable FitBit in early 2019, the company announced Monday. “For many of us, happiness is about helping others achieve their goals,” said Davide Rossi, CEO and co-founder of FitBark. “We may not have the motivation to get in the gym every day,…
Woof’s dog spa wagging into new markets with startup mindset, owner says
It’s a classic startup tail: Disillusionment with corporate life sends a would-be founder fetching for fresh ideas and more innovative inspiration. Woof’s Play & Stay provided Andy Wiltz the opportunity to scratch that itch, the dog spa owner said. Purchasing the plateauing brand in 2015, Wiltz turned his original Merriam location into a model for…
Destiny Wealth moving HQ to KC; former football player owes debt of inspiration to mother
Grit and the gridiron might have helped shape Parker Graham’s business acumen, but it’s the influence of his coach in the game of life who inspired Destiny Wealth — his fintech startup that soon will move to Kansas City. “My Mom stretched herself so thin and sometimes it was hard to put food on the…
LaunchKC pivoting from annual grants contest to supporting industry verticals, accelerators
LaunchKC is expected to focus on specific business verticals in 2019 — an effort to bring companies to Kansas City that can fill industry gaps, said Jim Malle. A revamped version of the annual grants competition eventually would grow those verticals into individual accelerator programs, said Malle, business development officer at the Economic Development Corporation…