Idle Smart earns $125K in national clean energy program
December 1, 2016 | Bobby Burch
Idle Smart recently was dubbed a top clean-energy firm and won some substantial investment capital for its technology.
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the company was voted by its peers as the top firm in the Energy: US 2016 program, nabbing $125,000 for its smart thermostat device for fleet vehicles, such as semi-trucks. The company’s device only kicks the truck on when necessary to maintain the temperature of the cabin, recharge batteries or create engine warmth, thus saving fuel and mitigating environmental impact.
To win the program, nine startups ranked each other in a peer-selection process and named Idle Smart as the top firm. The Autonomous Tractor Corporation won second prize and $100,000.
Village Capital, the New Belgium Family Foundation and Sustainable America awarded Idle Smart the funds. As part of the program, Idle Smart also received mentoring from industry experts and potential investors.
Founded by CEO Jeff Lynch in 2012, Idle Smart is based in the Kansas City Startup Village and owns a patent on its smart thermostat tech. In July, Startland News named the company as one of its top under-the-radar startups in Kansas City.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
His KC shirts earned a walk-on ‘Ted Lasso’ role; now this OP teacher’s side hustle is off the sidelines
The series finale of “Ted Lasso” this week doesn’t mean end credits for a Kansas City teacher whose T-shirt side hustle scored big throughout the show’s run — thanks to a notable assist from his childhood friend Jason Sudeikis who began wearing his designs in early episodes. Brendan Curran, founder of the apparel company Three…
Meet the cohort: Founder scaling Startup Weekend’s winning idea through Columbia venture fund, studio
COLUMBIA, Missouri — Winning Missouri Startup Weekend this spring put Chrystal Graves one step closer to revolutionizing the beauty industry, she shared, noting the victory helped secure her spot in the Scale venture fund and studio. “I have been passionate about helping salons be profitable and inclusive for a long time, but I thought building…
Startup Crawl is back June 9: Get your passport to KC bands, businesses, beverages
More than 50 startups and a quartet of local bands and performers will headline the June 9 return of Startup Crawl — and it’s a pretty sweet symphony, teased event organizers. “It’s been almost four years since we’ve been able to host our community in this way,” said Austin Barnes, executive editor of Startland News and…
They could’ve cracked into any industry; Why this dynamic team paired its talents with snacks
A local foodie’s quest to recreate her favorite discontinued cracker led a trio of longtime friends to build their own company, serving up specialty appetizer kits that customers are savoring in Kansas City and beyond. Crackerology produces shelf-stable, gourmet appetizer and dessert kits featuring made-from-scratch crackers and cookies that can be assembled in minutes. “Yes,…