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
KC’s pro pickleball team getting new $6.5M home near Arrowhead, Kauffman Stadium
A long-awaited redevelopment project in Kansas City’s stadium corridor is transforming the former CoCo Key Water resort into a vibrant destination pickleball facility with eight indoor courts, a full-service bar and restaurant, a coffee shop, and event spaces. It also will be home to the Kansas City Stingers, a professional team in the National Pickleball…
Nour’s extends flavor of 39th Street’s ‘restaurant row’ to long-vacant neighborhood cafe
After a lengthy stint developing corporate dining concepts, Kansas City chef Marwan Chebaro has spent two years planning his return to public dining. Set to open in June, Chebaro’s new Nour’s restaurant will showcase his native Lebanese cuisine and culture while helping bring the community together, he said. The venture at 3855 Warwick Blvd., in…
Entrepreneur duo uses KC Current blueprint to acquire Danish football, build multi-club portfolio
A just-announced deal to purchase a premier women’s football club in Denmark reflects Angie and Chris Long’s unwavering commitment to investing in women’s soccer at the highest level, the couple said, noting they’ll continue their work to raise the bar for players, supporters, and communities both nationally and internationally. Ballard Capital, a sports entertainment-focused investment…
How tech can put humanity back in hiring: Interview app brings beta test to Kansas City
Automation in the hiring process is leaving critical details — and quality, diverse talent — out of the jobs market, said Chelsea Parker, a Kansas City human resources innovator whose new Interview app aims to reconnect recruiters and applicants on a human level. “Interview is the TikTok of LinkedIn,” said Parker, the HR trendsetter behind creating an…