Lean Lab leaders dissect recent politics spurring U.S. education engagement

March 17, 2017  |  Startland News Staff

Lean Lab co-founder Katie Boody

Editor’s note: In partnership with the Wide Ruled podcast hosted by Brainroot Light and Sound, Startland News hopes to offer its audience more avenues to learn about innovators in Kansas City. Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone.


Wide Ruled is a podcast on equality in education. Each episode showcases a struggle or triumph in working toward a better education system. In this episode, host Nathaniel Bozarth talks with Katie Boody and Aditya Voleti of the Lean Lab about the recent appointment of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education, and how it’s caused a spike of interest and activism regarding education. 

Nathaniel Bozarth

Nathaniel Bozarth

The Lean Lab works closely with KC Social Innovation, Village Capital and the City of Kansas City, Mo. The program has supported 16 startups and granted over $100,000 to support ideas that have the potential to disrupt the education system.

Launched in 2013, the Kansas City-based education tech incubator engaged over 900 individuals in conversation on education innovation in 2016. In addition, last year marked the organization’s first step to go international, attracting entrepreneurs that hail from 28 different cities and three countries.

Listen to what Boody and Voleti recommend on what you can do to engage with education in your neighborhood.


Nathaniel Bozarth is a regional Emmy-award winning producer with Brainroot Light and Sound. Over the past three years he’s teamed up with Christopher Cook to create engaging documentary content on how race and immigration impact opportunity in America. Wide Ruled is Brainroot’s newest production on this trajectory. @bo_nathaniel

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged , , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2017 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Olathe partnership bears fruit in latest Digital Sandbox cohort

        By Tommy Felts | September 21, 2016

        With the buzz of Techweek KC still in the air, Kansas City-based incubator Digital Sandbox reveals the four new startups in their program. Directed by Jeff Shackleford, Digital Sandbox invests up to $25,000 in area companies and provides proof-of-concept resources. Launching in 2013, the incubator has worked with over 300 entrepreneurs and early stage companies…

        Coworking studio the GRID marks grand opening in Overland Park

        By Tommy Felts | September 21, 2016

        Already popular in downtown Kansas City, coworking options are now expanding further south into the metro area. Jennifer Stearns, community manager at the relatively-new GRID collaborative workspaces in Overland Park, said that coworking has a bright future in not only Kansas City but also in its suburbs. The facility opened their doors in April, but…

        Reporting from Ireland: A pint with Pipeline fellow Jeff Rohr

        By Tommy Felts | September 20, 2016

        Belfast, Northern Ireland — Keen to tap Irish hospitality and a culture of innovation, members of the Pipeline entrepreneurial fellowship program have incurred no shortage of either in Northern Ireland’s capital city. After a morning of “speed dating” with Irish entrepreneurs, 13 fellows in Pipeline’s 2016 fellowship class joined alumni at Brewbot to continue fostering…

        ‘5 things on my desk’ with ShotTracker co-founder Davyeon Ross

        By Tommy Felts | September 19, 2016

        Startland News and the Kansas City Star have partnered to publish content as part of the Star’s new special section, “Spirit.” This story was originally published in the Star’s Sept. 18 Sunday edition. Kansas City doesn’t need an NBA team for it to stand out in the world of basketball. Working with partners like Golden…