Digital Sandbox selects five new KC startups for its grant program
June 29, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
Kansas City’s top proof-of-concept incubator program announced Thursday it selected five new startups for its newest cohort.
Launched in 2013, Digital Sandbox has worked with more than 400 entrepreneurs and startups to date. Led by Jeff Shackelford, the program offers up to $25,000 in grants to startups with a focus of bringing a product from idea to commercialization.
Shackelford said that the program continues to grow.
“We continue to be amazed by the quality and creativity of Kansas City companies,” Shackelford said in a release. “Now, through our partnerships with Olathe, Independence, St. Joseph and Great Plains Energy, we have the opportunity to help even more early-stage entrepreneurs.”
Earlier this Month, Digital Sandbox announced that it has embarked on a partnership with St. Joseph, Mo.-based incubator Innovation Stockyard. The program previously established partnerships with the cities of Olathe, Kan. and Independence, Mo.
Since the program’s launch, Digital Sandbox has created more than 480 jobs and established over $38 million in follow-on funding.
Here’s more about the five companies:
- 2020 Adventures is a travel company designed the make the process of planning small group trips easier, with personalized itineraries.
- AgVision is an ag tech, artificial intelligence startup that monitors food intake by cattle at feedlots, with the goal of reducing the number of sick animals.
- Billdrill is a website where customers can submit how much they pay for TV, Internet, cell phone and home security services and compares their rates against other area providers.
- Idle Smart created a “smart” thermostat for trucking fleets to save fuel, cut down on pollution and keep drivers comfortable, as well as reducing overnight idle time. Idle Smart was featured as a top startup to watch in 2017.
- Luxe is a provider of amenity services for multi-family housing communities. The firm’s mobile app offers apartment communities a concierge platform for residents to book and manage apartment tailored services.
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Take a seat: How do Bird’s new Cruisers fit into KCMO’s approach to disruptive innovation?
With a cushioned seat for two, the new Bird Cruiser’s potential arrival in Kansas City this summer would ride within KCMO’s approach to emerging technologies and disruptive business models. Featuring 20-inch wheels, the electric Cruisers travel uphill in areas like Kansas City’s downtown with ease, according to Bird, and are a new take on the…
Latest Digital Sandbox startups: Connecting solutions on climate change, supply chain, child therapy and voter education
Four new companies welcomed this week into the fold at Digital Sandbox KC help showcase the ongoing success of the 6-year-old proof-of-concept program, said Jeff Shackelford. “We’ve now provided project development funding for 118 area startups, and this group has raised over $70 million in add-on investment and created nearly 700 new area jobs,” said…
Q&A: Founder Jy Maze on the industry that runs the world (and delivers the toilet paper)
Everything has to ship, said Jy Maze. From the microphone in her hand to the stool where she sat to the shoes on the Maze Freight Solutions founder’s feet, it all comes with mileage and a cost, she said. Her woman-owned, Overland Park-based, third-party freight logistics startup itself was packed in 2017 when Maze decided…
AI smart sensor startup Particle Space earns ‘Top 50 Tech Companies’ distinction
A virtually hardware-free property and building management platform from Particle Space earned the Kansas City-based startup high honors this month at Intercon in Las Vegas. “The future is bright, all buildings will communicate every interworking detail,” said David Biga, founder of Particle Space, which uses artificial intelligence and smart sensors for its residential and commercial…