Digital Sandbox’s newest cohort: Hip hop health startup, moving app
January 6, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Digital Sandbox KC on Friday announced its support of two new Kansas City tech firms.
Led by entrepreneur Jeff Shackelford, the Kansas City-based incubator welcomed H3TV and MovinHouz to its program.
Digital Sandbox invests up to $25,000 in area businesses for specific projects that help the firms secure additional funding. The organization has now supported a total 79 proof-of-concept projects and helped them raise almost $30 million in investment capital.
With a focus on education and health, H3TV created online programming to empower young audiences to make positive changes to their lives. Founders Reggie Gray and Roy Scott created “H3,” which is a new genre of children’s music that stands for “Healthy Hip Hop.” The music aims to be a learning tool to help children improve academic outcomes, physical health and social-emotional development.
“In order for our company to truly scale, we had to completely develop our technology,” Scott said in a release. “And the funding from Digital Sandbox KC has put us in a position to take H3TV to the next level! Receiving this funding will allow us to improve our mobile and online video platform, making it more seamless for educators and students to utilize our services.”
MovinHouz created a mobile app with which customers can upload photos of each room and major items. The photos will then be seen by multiple vetted movers who will each submit a moving quote.
“Receiving this award from Digital Sandbox KC allows MovinHouz to enhance our offering, specifically our MovinPic technology, which positions us to provide greater value to the overall moving industry,” MovinHouz CEO Dominic Klobe said in a release.
Digital Sandbox welcomes applications on a rolling basis and evaluates startups every eight weeks. Launched in February 2013, the Digital Sandbox KC has worked with more than 300 entrepreneurs and early-stage companies across the metro area. Visit www.digitalsandboxkc.com for more information.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
CRWND as a KC pitch contest winner, Keliah Smith expands her product line (and comfort zone)
Keliah Smith was nervous. She’d never been a fan of speaking in front of a crowd, but knew exposing her discomfort and weakness through the Alchemy Sandbox pitch competition was just part of the ongoing journey of an entrepreneur, she said. Avoiding that spotlight, Smith noted, already had kept her — and her business, CRWND…
DeBruce integrates career toolbox into HBCU’s programming for Black and Brown entrepreneurs
A new partnership between The DeBruce Foundation and Harris-Stowe State University showcases a shared goal of unlocking the potential within individuals and equipping them for bright careers and bright futures, said Leigh Anne Taylor Knight. “This is one of those relationships that reminds us that partnerships don’t need to be complicated,” said Taylor Knight, executive…
Heart by hand: Paper illustrator crafts intricate designs with an evocative pop of culture
Andrea Cira can trace the inspiration for her hand-crafted, colorful, paper illustrations back to her upbringing in Mexico, she shared. “You see a lot of things that are done by hand or by scratch,” she explained. “I’ve lived in different places in Mexico, so I got to see a few things from artisans. I always…
Sleep tech designed to combat night sweats moves toward consumer market with KS bedfellows
A Leawood company’s bed-based sleep technology — designed to reduce night sweats and help people better regulate their temperatures while they sleep — is headed to market in early 2024 with backing from the Kansas angel tax credits program and a swelling pre-seed round, said Win Hansen. Rairflow, Inc., which designed and developed prototypes for…