Listen: KC transportation leaders examine Smart City, Hyperloop, smart pavement
May 2, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
Judging by the popularity of our recent Hyperloop One coverage, the future of transportation has become a hot topic in the metro.
It’s crazy to imagine that, in the near future, we may be living in a world of subsonic rail travel, smart pavement and autonomous vehicles. But before we get too excited about the possibilities, it’s important to check in on where we are now. Government and business leaders alike are currently paving the way for transportation innovation in Kansas City and beyond, but there are many details to sort first.
For the April Innovation Exchange, we dove into the exciting new developments within Kansas City transportation. Touching on ridesharing, Hyperloop One and other futuristic transportation options, Startland editor Bobby Burch held a fireside chat with a variety of local leaders purveying and adapting to rapid changes in how people move from place to place.
Joining in the discussion were: KCMO chief innovation officer Bob Bennett; KC Streetcar Authority Board member Matt Staub; Mid-America Regional Council principal planner Amanda Graor; Integrated Roadways founder Tim Sylvester; and Think Big Partners’ transportation and mobility advisor Hunter Johnston.
If you missed the event, listen to the podcast below. During the discussion, Bob Bennett shares what to expect from phase two of the city’s Smart City Initiative —which just won an Edison Award. Tim Sylvester details why smart infrastructure is crucial to setting up the metro for autonomous vehicles. Amanda Graor explains the nuances of establishing a holistic transportation plan across the Kansas-Missouri border, and how to seamlessly provide mobility to citizens. Matt Staub also explains successes and failures of the streetcar and Hunter Johnson shares the implications of inevitable mass autonomous vehicle use.
The Innovation Exchange is a monthly event put on by Startland News in conjunction with Think Big. It aims to create community conversation and provide context on news in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community.
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
FEWDM drops high-tech fitness devices, pivots to workout apparel
Not every promising startup venture can keep the ball moving toward the end zone. It’s a lesson FEWDM founder Tommy Saunders says he’s blessed to have learned — despite the bittersweet turn for the former Detroit Lions receiver’s company. “We have a strong brand that our customers connect with and have grown to love,” Saunders…
Fund Me, KC: Bow Blast KC soft combat offers adrenaline-pumping fun
Editor’s note: Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. If you or your startup is running a crowdfunding campaign, let us know by contacting news@startlandnews.com. Who are you? My name is Jason McCarthy, Owner of Bow Blast KC. What’s your product? We are a mix of dodgeball,…
CubeMonk lauded at forefront of disruptive blockchain cryptocurrency revolution
Momentum is building for Kansas City-based CubeMonk — and the blockchain cryptography platform behind it is poised to go further than most people can even imagine, said Todd Haselhorst. “You’re talking about a wave of innovation the likes of which we’ve never seen before,” said Haselhorst, CEO and co-founder of CubeMonk. “If the internet was…
Happy holidays: Three startups receive Digital Sandbox funds
They might not be wrapped with a bow, but Digital Sandbox KC has delivered three gifts to area startups ahead of the holidays. The proof-of-concept incubator program is dishing grants to TradeLanes, Hungry? and MusicSpoke — three startups that aim to revamp their respective industries with innovative technologies, said Jeff Shackelford, director of Digital Sandbox.…