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
How one KC startup studio helps feel-good ventures grow impact while actually making money
Running a social venture comes with an inherent challenge for founders, shared Jacqueline Erickson Russell, emphasizing they must balance purpose and profit. Social Venture Studio — powered by LaunchKC — offers support along that journey, added Erickson Russell, the founder and CEO of Social Impact Advising Group and consultant for the Kansas City-based program. “Complex…
This hard swap plays easy: How one KC producer juggles community, breaking the club music cookie cutter
Tyler Jordan’s new spin on DJing: amplify fellow artists and unite people through music, he shared. Jordan — who produces electronic music and DJs under the name Oblivinatti (a mashup of his favorite video game growing up, The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and his interest in conspiracy theories) — is evolving his sound production business Vibration…
Art and technology too often butt heads, festival planners say; River Market event paints a reality where they coexist
The River Market Art Festival is back after a 20-year hiatus — with a nod to the past and an eye toward the future, shared The AI Hub’s Taylor Burris and James Spikes, startup founders who are hosting the event in partnership with the River Market Community Association. The revival of the art festival —…
PayIt co-founder: No one-size-fits-all formula for scaling one of KC biggest startup ideas
Mike Plunkett’s journey with PayIt came to an early, but critical crossroads when a wealthy entrepreneur offered half-million dollars to support the Kansas City-built govtech venture, he recalled. The catch: this investor insisted on imposing control and veto power as they committed more funds. Despite being low on funds, the PayIt team — led by…