Compute Midwest rebrands, announces expansion to the Windy City
June 2, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
The Kansas City-based tech conference formerly known as Compute Midwest has announced a rebrand and expansion to Chicago.
The conference, which has been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the top tech conferences in the nation, has changed its name to become Dare Mighty Things. Since its launch in 2012, the conference has consistently attracted a broad audience, including entrepreneurs, developers, venture capitalists, creatives, executives and more.
Founder Michael Gelphman said he believes the name will allow the conference to reach a broader audience.
“The previous name kind of constrained us — we want to become something more global,” Gelphman said. “Anybody who hears that name automatically will think this is just for super techy people. … The conference is for anybody who’s creating anything who wants to be inspired.”
Presented by the Disruption Institute, the event previously has featured speakers such as Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, iRobot founder Rodney Brooks, former NASA CTO Chris Kemp, former Makerbot CEO Jenny Lawton and more.
Gelphman hopes the rebrand will help Dare Mighty Things expand its reach while breaking down silos within the tech, creative and business communities.
“These segmented communities are all coming together and seeing what kind of ideas and conversations come out of it,” Gelphman said. “That’s part of the magic — bringing these different people together.”
Dare Mighty Things is set for Nov. 3 in Chicago. Although Gelphman said he’s enjoyed holding the conference in Kansas City for the past six years, he’s excited about the conference’s growth.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to see what we could do in Chicago and completely start from scratch,” Gelphman said. “We also know that many people from Kansas City will still be attending.”
Gelphman expects about 1,000 registrants and added that attendance has grown each year since its launch. In addition, Dare Mighty Things will offer a podcast this year, featuring interviews with top innovators from around the world.
“We want it to be more than just a conference,” Gelphman said. “The podcast will allow us to continuously create content and help with brand awareness. We want listeners to get the same feeling from the content that they experience at the conference.”
To learn more or to register for Dare Mighty Things, click here.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
‘This is the dream’: Starty Party turns up the volume on Kansas City tech, collaboration (Photos)
It isn’t a party without the people, said organizers of the Starty Party, gathering a crowd of startup veterans, early stage founders, investors and community leaders Wednesday for a one-night celebration of innovation — set against the backdrop of homegrown music and vibes. “This is amazing,” said Melissa Vincent, CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs, from the Starty…
KC preps for World Cup all-nighter, taste testing 23-hour drinking window for summer games
Entrepreneurs want to tap into all the potential business they can when an estimated 650,000 visitors descend on Kansas City for the World Cup, said Jim Ready, detailing plans for a temporary expansion of alcohol sales in KCMO to accommodate a global audience in June and July 2026. The move is more of a stress…
Kauffman narrows Uncommon Leader contenders to five finalists from community orgs
Kansas City leaders advancing toward the Kauffman Foundation’s high-profile impact award all demonstrate bold, creative, and inclusive leadership, said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, announcing five finalists for the inaugural honor. “Each of these leaders reminds us that one person can make a difference, and that compassion and dedication can change the lives of the people we…
KC-built app locks down vulnerable users’ data before they can share it with online scammers
He’s a startup founder today, but a protective brother first, said Danny Moran, describing how his sister with special needs motivated the launch of an app to protect vulnerable people engaging in a digital world too often filled with bad actors. “She’s been scammed online multiple times over the past 10 years, causing significant financial…