Happy holidays: Three startups receive Digital Sandbox funds
December 20, 2017 | Bobby Burch
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.
“We know that the more connected early-stage entrepreneurs are — to each other and to the resources — the higher their probability of success,” Jeff Shackelford said in a release. “The Sandbox is helping startups in KC make those connections. We’ve now funded 96 projects and worked with more than 500 entrepreneurs in the metro.”
Launched in 2013, Digital Sandbox offers up to $25,000 in grants to startups with a focus of bringing a product from idea to commercialization.
Both TradeLanes and MusicSpoke were named 2017 Under the Radar startups by Startland News. Here’s a bit more on the three Digital Sandbox companies:
Hungry? is a mobile app with an algorithm to simplify the decision of what and where to eat, helping users find dining options.
MusicSpoke is a global marketplace that allows musicians and educators to purchase sheet music directly from composers. Check out Startland’s profile on MusicSpoke here.
TradeLanes automates trade management for U.S. exporters that uses an online platform to lower costs and make their supply chain more efficient. Check out Startland’s profile on TradeLanes here.
Digital Sandbox established a partnership with the City of Independence and the Independence Economic Development Council in 2016. With similar programs operating in Olathe, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri, the Independence program aims to expand Digital Sandbox resources to the greater Kansas City metro area, Shackelford said.
Since its launch about five years ago, Digital Sandbox issued $1.8 million in project funding for more than 90 early-state firms that have created 536 new jobs with more than $14 million in payroll, according to the organization.
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Venues Made Simple vows to marry transparency with streamlined wedding planning tech
Jeff and Jessie Pavalone didn’t intend to plan their wedding during a pandemic. The Kansas City couple is introducing technology to the wedding industry with their new Airbnb-style venue management system, meant to simplify wedding planning for both couples and event spaces. Click here to explore their Digital Sandbox KC-backed startup, Venues Made Simple. The…
Family serves tender tradition at Kitty’s Cafe with KC’s most famous pork sandwich
Nestled along 31st Street between Kansas City’s Midtown and east side neighborhoods, Kitty’s Cafe has become a cherished symbol of timeless comfort recipes and enduring family heritage, said Jenna Soulivong. It’s word-of-mouth popularity spread largely from Kitty’s pork tenderloin sandwich — a menu item that that earned the restaurant recognition from The New York Times…
Headline-grabbing entrepreneurs join ScaleUP! KC on their way to ‘that next tier’
Twenty of Kansas City’s most promising young companies — including the KC Chamber’s “Emerging Business of the Year” — are among the latest cohort of ScaleUP! Kansas City, the metro’s longest running program for growth-minded entrepreneurs with scaling businesses. ScaleUP! Kansas City companies receive coaching, perspective and connections to scale, create new jobs, open new…
Kansas City startup among leading fintech finalists in NXTSTAGE competition
An AI-infused startup led by Kansas City serial founder Jannae Gammage is poised to compete against seven other finalists in this fall’s NXTSTAGE innovation showcase in Wichita. Foresight — a fintech platform that aims to open funding opportunities for underserved borrowers by assessing credit risk, fraud and biases — was selected as finalist for the…