Kauffman Foundation announces winner of 1 in a Million contest
November 15, 2016 | Bobby Burch
Kansas City’s reign atop the national 1 in a Million contest has ended.
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced Wednesday that Anchoraged-based Pandere Shoes won the contest, beating out one local finalist and winning $25,000 in the process. The Grooming Project was the sole Kansas City firm left in the competition, which challenges 1 Million Cups presenters from around the U.S. to compete for a $25,000 prize.
Pandere Shoes was founded by Laura Oden, Celia Crossett and Ayla Rogers.
To compete in 1 in a Million, eligible startups had to submit a 60-second video pitch for the prize. Kansas City-based financial tech startup Blooom took home the first prize last year, earning Kansas City bragging rights in the inaugural contest.
The Grooming Project is a nonprofit that teaches at-risk mothers the trade of dog grooming to provide them with an opportunity for a living wage. Founder Natasha Kirsch started the enterprise because she believes that a living wage does more than provide people with money — she wants to elevate and empower women from situations of poverty, crime or abuse.
For reaching the top five of the competition, the company will receive a $5,000 cash prize. To learn more about the Grooming Project, check out Startland’s feature on the firm.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Top startup ‘RFP360’ tweaks name in rebrand to reflect 360-degree approach to its market
A rebranding effort announced Tuesday aims to clarify the way RFP360 is perceived by potential customers bogged down by procurement and bidding processes, said David Hulsen. The Kansas City-based company, which streamlines the repetitive and arduous request for proposal (RFP) process with a software-as-a-service platform, hopes its new name and tagline — “Grab Life by…
‘Three guys of faith’ craft edible, dissolving protein pods with mission to SERV
Infusing authenticity into a compound of faith and fearlessness helped a KC trio formulate the one-of-a-kind recipe for Kansas City startup SERV Nutrition. Now they’re positioning the soon-to-launch company to shake up the supplement space, said Austin Wilcox. “I was doing some laundry and threw a Tide Pod in after my workout, then ran upstairs to…
Sofar Sounds takes grassroots underground to resurrect the live music experience in KC
Kansas City has a reputation as a home for talented artists, said Hank Wiedel, but restricted resources limit the potential for grassroots performers to reach a global — or sometimes even local — audience. Sofar Sounds — an international event series operating under the radar in the metro for two years — reimagines live shows by providing…
Social entrepreneur’s Harris Park brings green and golf to blighted urban neighborhood
A clean green park with an award-winning golf course not only raises the profile of the Ivanhoe neighborhood at 40th and Wayne — it changes the mindset of those who live there, said Chris Harris. The space — completed in August— was chosen by the American Society of Golf Course Architects for its Design Excellence…