Four leading Kansas City entrepreneurs among 2018 Pipeline class
January 26, 2018 | Tommy Felts
The lives of four Kansas City entrepreneurs selected for the 2018 Pipeline class are about to change forever, said Brian Handrigan, Pipeline member and co-founder of St. Louis-based Traaqr.
New fellows were announced Thursday evening at Pipeline’s The Innovators gala, with 13 startup leaders from across the Midwest taking the stage as the first step in joining the growing Pipeline entrepreneur network.
Kansas City’s contingent in the class includes Glen Dakan, founder and CEO of online automotive retailer Prestio; Matt Sellers, co-founder and CEO of the fitness software firm Rack Performance; and former LaunchKC winners Ben Schultz, founder and CEO of the construction scheduling software-as-a-service platform LaborChart, and Linda Van Horn, president and CEO of the medical records platform iShare Medical.
“I know from experience that right now your heads are reeling,” Handrigan said, addressing the whole class Thursday night on stage. “You’re looking out at this packed house and saying, ‘What the hell did I just get myself into?’ Trust us, when we say that this time next year, if you really, really play your cards right, and soak in this year for all it has to offer, you’ll be beaming with pride and excitement for all that you have accomplished.”
Members of each Pipeline class participate in a year-long program that seeks to further develop their entrepreneurial skills and familiarize them with the international Pipeline family. The four-module curriculum culminates in the January gala, The Innovators, at which one fellow is selected as Innovator of the Year. (Click here for more on the 2017 Innovator of the Year award winner announced Thursday.)
In addition to Daken, Sellers, Schultz and Van Horn, 2018 Pipeline fellows include:
- Wichita — Trevor Crotts, Buddy Brands
- St. Louis — Andrew Barnell, Geneoscopy; Johnna Beckham, BOOST Apparel Group; Will Edwards, MetKnow; Robin Rath, Pixel Press Technology; Bryan Sapot, SensrTrx
- Lincoln, Nebraska — Dennis Doerfl, Fourstarzz Media; Ali Schwanke, Simple Strat
- Omaha — Colin Nabity, LeverageRx
Founded in 2006, Kansas City-based Pipeline typically welcomes 10 to 13 entrepreneurs each year for its development program. Now with about 100 alumni, Pipeline derives much of its power from an expansive network that allows members to tap a wealth of connections and resources from other powerful business people in the organization.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Movista exit: Mid-America Angels portfolio firm scores $12M growth equity investment
A $12 million Series A growth equity investment in Movista is a significant win for Mid-America Angels, as well as for the region, said Laura McCoolidge. The Arkansas-based startup — which uses a mobile-first, real-time platform to power labor and workforce management software for retailers, manufacturers, and service providers — is among the leading portfolio…
Startup Crawl returning Oct 5 for First Friday with festival-style entertainment, innovation
Editor’s note: Startup Crawl and Startland News are both programs of the Kansas City Startup Foundation, though the content below was produced independently by Startland. Startup Crawl has a carnival feel to it, said Lauren Conaway, noting the returning event is positioned to help startups collide with people who wouldn’t typically encounter the early-stage businesses.…
MECA students to Goodwill: Everyone has a mission now — what else are you selling?
Editor’s note: MECA Challenge and Startland News are both programs of the Kansas City Startup Foundation, though the content below was produced independently by Startland. For more information on the relationship, click here. Goodwill must innovate and change with the times if it’s going to survive after 125 years in business, said Ed Lada. “The…
Prestio drives users to auto dealerships without traditional car buying pain points
Gone are the days of traditional car buying for Ben Anderson, the first customer of Kansas City-based startup Prestio. Anderson, an accounting professional at CBIZ, had grown deeply frustrated by auto dealerships, he said. In fall 2017, he turned to Prestio –– a first-of-its-kind software-as-a-service platform that allows customers to buy, trade, and finance vehicle purchases…