California retail tech firm opens Crossroads office, hiring 20
December 7, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Retail technology firm PriceSpider is citing the area’s vibrant tech community as the reason behind rooting a new office in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.
Headquartered in Irvine, California, PriceSpider said the burgeoning startup community, deep pool of tech talent and Google Fiber’s arrival in 2012 helped push the company to choose the City of Fountains. The firm’s new office is located at 1712 Main St., alongside such tech firms as Think Big Partners and Code Koalas.
Anthony Ferry
Evaluating several tech hubs in the U.S., PriceSpider also appreciated Kansas City’s central location, said CEO and co-founder Anthony Ferry.
“It made sense to establish a Midwest presence that can provide support to clients on the East Coast and in America’s heartland,” Ferry said. “We are happy to join so many rapidly growing technology companies as well as global brand manufacturers such as Honeywell, General Motors and Ford Motor Company in making Kansas City a second home.”
PriceSpider provides its customers with insights into consumer purchasing behavior by using proprietary “spidering” technology that collects a wide range of data from thousands of e-commerce sites. Its “Where to Buy” product integrates with manufacturers’ websites to capture conversion data while giving shoppers access to online and local retailers. The company’s “Channel Reports” tool keeps tabs on competitors, monitoring their prices and view their reviews.
The company now partners with such brands as Activision, Bayer, Canon, LG, Nikon, Samsung, Stanley Black+Decker and more.
Kansas City’s startup community is reminiscent of southern California’s early days, Ferry said. That innovative spirit should help the company build the best products, he added.
“The up-and-coming tech startup scene in Kansas City in many ways mirrors the tech startup scene of decades past in Orange County, California,” Ferry said. “Being in touch with the technology companies at the forefront of so many initiatives in Kansas City is just one more tactic to keep us on the cutting edge. We look forward to connecting with the local area’s tech visionaries.”
The Kansas City branch is the company’s second office, where it plans to hire 20 people. Founded in 2004, PriceSpider now has 80 employees.
PriceSpider is looking to hire senior software engineers with experience in Go, Node.js and C# as well as proficiency in Linux, relational databases and NoSQL databases. PriceSpider is also looking for product and client support roles at the Kansas City office.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
‘Never settle’: He started small, now Drue Stewart is bringing TikTok-famous food to former Westport Ale House
‘Bigger, better, crazier; Never settle; The building had a dark cloud but we are going to bring new life to it’ Less than a year after opening Holy Brunch KC in Westport — and one small expansion — Drue Stewart is making an enormous leap. He’ll go from 2,000-square-feet on one floor, to a 16,000-square-foot…
Great Jobs KC leaps closer to its $100M goal with massive grant to support adult financial stability
A just-announced $60 million investment by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation marks a significant step in a Kansas City-based nonprofit’s plans to support 50,000 adults on their journeys toward financial stability, said Earl Martin Phalen. The grant to Great Jobs KC serves three priorities outlined within the Kauffman Foundation’s new grantmaking strategy: college access and…
Teens tackle universal pain points: Junior Achievement competition pushes students to pitch biz ideas
A new student innovation competition linked to Junior Achievement not only challenges Kansas City teens to develop business solutions for immediate real-world problems, said Will Bowler; fostering entrepreneurial thinking develops longer-term impacts. “This program empowers them,” said Bowler, a teacher at Olathe East High School, as students wrapped up Tuesday’s 3DE Innovators Showcase at the…
Trio of early stage Kansas City startups tapped to join K-State Accelerator focused on boosting Kansas economy
MANHATTAN, Kansas — Seven startups are expected to begin work this month within the K-State Accelerator, earning funds, training and resources to turn their concepts into successful Sunflower State ventures. Three of the selected companies hail from the Kansas City area, including dScribe AI; 4D Leaders; and Rebound Jerseys. The eight-week, virtual Center for Entrepreneurship…