Idle Smart posts Series A round with KCRise Fund, multimillion-dollar investment support
October 24, 2018 | Austin Barnes
A multi-million dollar investment round has Kansas City-grown Idle Smart revving its engine and accelerating toward rapid growth in 2019, revealed Jeff Lynch, company president.
“I think it’s a reflection of what the team has been able to create over the past few years,” Lynch said of Idle Smart’s completion of a milestone Series A funding effort.
The round was led by Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, but also included significant support from the KCRise Fund and Service Provider Capital, he said. Stout Street Capital and Clean Energy Fund have also invested in the company, according to online Crunchbase reports.
Known for its patented, energy-saving technology that automates engine start-stops of fleet vehicles, Lynch said the cash infusion will greatly contribute to the internal growth of the company.
“Our business to date commands that we need to build, grow, and enhance our team in advance of what we think will be even better years in 2019, 2020, and 2021,” he said.
Idle Smart’s personnel upgrades will focus on technical expertise, U.S. and international sales forces, and internal account management functions, Lynch added.
“We think it’s a positive sign and a positive year mark in terms of our future opportunities and potential for success,” he said.
In addition to internal growth, Idle Smart is now in the process of relocating its offices from the Kansas City Startup Village to Plexpod Westport Commons, Lynch said.
Idle Smart was one of the first companies to inhabit the startup village –– a series of homes nestled within the 45th Street and State Line Road neighborhoods that first welcomed Google Fiber, which came to Kansas City in 2012.
Featured Business

2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
StartupGrowKC bootcamp: Building smart and intentional teams alongside ECJC
Founders can expect to emerge from the Enterprise Center in Johnson County’s StartupGrowKC bootcamp series with greater knowledge of the skills needed to grow their business, said Kathryn Golden. “[Founders will see] the fuller life cycle of what they will need to consider [to be successful],” said Golden, programs manager at ECJC, a nonprofit organization…
The Nerdery powers down, exiting Kansas City in move to consolidate investments
Once topping Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing companies list, The Nerdery is now pulling back — closing its Kansas City office and redirecting the paths of 28 metro employees, the company revealed this week. “This decision is by no means a reflection of the performance of the team in Kansas City, who have all done a fantastic…
SafetyCulture executing fireproof growth strategy from new Crossroads US HQ
A recent move placed SafetyCulture into the largest fireproof building in KC — a choice reflecting the startup’s customer-centered approach, said Ross Reed, noting the building’s more-than-a-century-old history was an added plus. “iAuditor helps organizations prioritize safety and quality,” said Reed, president of SafetyCulture’s KC-based North American branch. “If construction companies can show they they…
