Introducing 2017’s Top 10 Under-the-Radar startups in Kansas City
August 29, 2017 | Startland News Staff
Whether they’re intentionally lying low or just working too hard to stop and share their stories, Kansas City is full of inconspicuous innovators.
Consider this list of 10 firms as a spotlight into the shadows of promising, but little-known Kansas City startups.
As we stated in last year’s list, “under the radar” is a relative term — we had to hear of these startups somehow. Even though we might have already written about some of these companies, many still operate in relative obscurity within the broader Kansas City business community.
This list hopes to shed light on promising firms that either you have never heard of or might have an interest in learning more about. Let us know what you think or if you have recommendations for other “under-the-radar” startups.
Without further ado, here are 2017’s Under the Radar startups in no particular order.
Happy Food Co.
Founding Year: 2015
Founders: Kiersten Firquain and Jeff Glasco
Elevator pitch: Happy Food Co makes it easy to enjoy great local food at home, preparing fresh meal kits with everything you need to whip up a restaurant-quality meal in no time flat. FOR MORE ON HAPPY FOOD CO., CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Kiersten Firquain and Jeff Glasco
ZOHR
Founding Year: 2015
Founders: Komal Choong and Anoop Choong
Elevator Pitch: Zohr offers a simpler way to get your tires changed by delivering and installing them at your home or office.
FOR MORE ON ZOHR, CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
ZOHR co-founders Komal Choong and Anoop Choong
MusicSpoke
Founding Year: 2014
Founders: Jennifer Rosenblatt and Kurt Knecht
Elevator Pitch: MusicSpoke is online sheet music marketplace for self-published composers.
FOR MORE ON MUSICSPOKE CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Kurt Knecht and Jennifer Rosenblatt
Venture360
Founding year: 2013
Founders: Rachael Qualls and James Pierce
Elevator Pitch: Venture360 powers the venture capital industry from application to exit.
FOR MORE ON VENTURE360, CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
James Pierce and Rachael Qualls
OneHQ
Founding Year: 2012
Founder: Kyle J. Ginavan
Elevator Pitch: OneHQ solves complex operations, sales, marketing and accounting problems for insurance agencies, insurance brokerages, insurance carriers, broker dealers and registered investment advisors.
FOR MORE ON ONEHQ, CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
The OneHQ team
TradeLanes
Founding Year: 2015
Founders: Vijay Harrell, Delvin Higginson, Brandon Jimenez, Corey Myers and Jack Shelton
Elevator Pitch: TradeLanes is a software-as-a-service that enables shippers, merchants and traders to better control their supply chain. FOR MORE ON TRADELANES CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Vijay Harrel and Delvin Higginson
Dunami
Founding Year: 2012
Founders: Pat Butler, Tony Marshall and Mark Schwalm
Elevator Pitch: Dunami helps clients find relevant audiences and identify those with the most influence.
FOR MORE ON DUNAMI, CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Pat Butler, Tony Marshall, Steve Davis and Mark Schwalm
Sprout Solutions
Founding Year: 2016
Founders: Gretchen Henry and Jim Taylor
Elevator Pitch: Sprout Solutions provides software services for professionals in the animal feed industry, including both mill operators and merchandisers. FOR MORE ON SPROUT SOLUTIONS CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Jim Taylor and Gretchen Henry
RiskGenius
Founding Year: 2012
Founders: Chris Cheatham and Doug Reiser
Elevator Pitch: RiskGenius organizes the world’s insurance information. Our machine learning algorithms structure insurance policy information and serve it up to carriers, brokers and regulators in our RiskGenius platform.
FOR MORE ON RISK GENIUS, CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
The RiskGenius team
OYO Fitness
Founding Year: 2014
Founders: Paul Francis
Elevator Pitch: Fitness where you are right now. OYO provides On Your Own fitness.
FOR MORE ON OYO FITNESS CHECK OUT THIS PROFILE …
Paul Francis
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Competition opening its call for startups to pitch at UMKC (founders who’ve finished growing need not apply)
UMKC’s support for entrepreneurship doesn’t stop at the edge of campus, said Adam Larson, detailing plans for another startup competition between established Kansas City companies during this spring’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge. Non-student-led companies with headquarters in Kansas City are eligible to compete in the James and Rae Block Kansas City Startup Awards. Applications open…
Superstars’ palette of impact dips into diverse industries: Here’s how a KC muralist creates his own economic progress
Each individual brush stroke plays a role in painting the broader picture of economic development in Kansas City, said Daniel Montoute, reflecting on how a single entrepreneur can impact the region within the collective blend of communities. “As a small business rooted in the heart of Kansas City, we are proud to contribute to the…
Down for donuts: How this team is sweetening Chiefs’ Super Bowl sugar rush with Mr. D’s(fense)
Another return trip to the Super Bowl has Kansas City small businesses joining the Chiefs as behind-the-scenes special teams fueling the Kingdom. For entrepreneur Johnny Chen, the mere taste of victory just a few years ago has multiplied into a box-full of opportunities. “The Chiefs’ success has impacted our sales tremendously,” said Chen, co-owner of…
Spokes Café banks on new downtown coffee spot, cycling operations under same roof as neighboring customers
A new home inside the Commerce Bank Building in downtown Kansas City moves Dan Walsh’s popular coffee shop across the street — and saves him the struggle of finding a different location amid Spokes Café’s pending displacement as a longtime fixture at 10th and Walnut streets. Walsh recently announced the relocation — the artisanal breakfast and…