Lean Lab leaders dissect recent politics spurring U.S. education engagement
March 17, 2017 | Startland News Staff
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.
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
Featured Business

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Regional Roundup: Chicago’s megamall turned innovation hub
In this week’s roundup of watercooler talk from the region’s startup hubs, we have the dish on Chicago’s booming startup density, Uber and Lyft’s Austin tantrum, and Denver’s No. 3 rank for digital economy readiness. Check out more in this series here. ChicagoInno: How the Merchandise Mart became the epicenter of Chicago tech How…
Futuristic transportation vision for Kansas City includes self-driving buses
Kansas City hopes a pioneering vision for public transportation will help it emerge as the top contender for a $50 million award. Kansas City is one of seven finalists for the “Beyond Traffic Smart City Challenge,” which will dish $50 million to a mid-sized city dealing with rapidly-changing transportation needs. With stiff competition from tech…
Events Preview: Startup Waffles, NKC Showcase
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW Startup Waffles When: May 27 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am Where: Think Big Coworking Are you a founder, hacker or investor…
Kansas City’s east side to receive free wireless gigabit network
Kansas City is diligently continuing work to become the most connected city on earth. Three organizations are now working to create a free, large-scale wireless gigabit network on Kansas City’s east side. The project — led by Siklu Communications, the Urban Neighborhood Initiative and KC Digital Drive — will help eliminate cost barriers to help…

