SafetyCulture executing fireproof growth strategy from new Crossroads US HQ
January 17, 2019 | Elyssa Bezner
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.
The tech company which provides the iAuditor app — a digital checklist platform for safety inspections — moved from previous office space at Plexpod Westport Commons after a successful Series C round of $45 million, to provide accessible, customer-friendly spaces and collaborative areas for employees in the Crossroads Arts District, he said.
Click here to read more about SafetyCulture’s Series C round.
Getting in touch with the community was another deciding factor for the Crossroads location, Ross added, noting a community block party is being planned within the coming months to launch the startup’s work in the area and celebrate the users that gave the app success in KC.
Keep reading below the photo gallery.
SafetyCulture prioritizes the customer rather than revenue, Ross said, noting iAuditor is free, available in iOS and GooglePlay, and the new Crossroads space is ready for community events and meetups for app demos.
The space features a large cafe area, meditation rooms doubling as privacy areas for nursing mothers, and video conference rooms ranging in size for conversations, international or otherwise, he added.
“Every 15 seconds someone dies from a workplace-related injury or illness,” said Reed, standing in front of a wall reading, “The most important thing to come out of the mine is the miner.”
SafetyCulture — founded in Townsville, Australia in 2004 by Luke Anear, who has since expanded the platform into Sydney, Manchester, Manila, and KC — is now focusing on reflecting it’s international identity into 24-hour services, he added.
Click here to read more about the beginnings of SafetyCulture in Kansas City.
iAuditor — together with the secondary Spotlight app, which works as a incident reporting tool — can build out the analytics side of collected data, said Reed, providing users to streamlined, continuous information on the state of safety in every workplace.
“Let’s say you’re the vice president of quality or safety, you can look at the analytics from your laptop and see that [workers aren’t] really safe in this location, or [notice varying] brand standards without having to go on site visits,” he said. “We have a lot of data that helps customers make data-driven decisions versus just going on maintenance checks.”
Hundreds of users are added to the SafetyCulture platform every single day, he added, noting international growth remains a primary goal.
“While we have a pretty massive customer base and user base, 99 percent of the world hasn’t heard of us yet and that’s going to change,” said Reed. “I want to make an impact — [SafetyCulture] is very mission-driven — so we’ll use marketing to get out to more customers.”
Featured Business

2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Biz class to barista: UMKC student’s mobile matcha cart hand-whisks crowds of thirsty fans
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. [divide] HerCafe, a matcha business founded by a University of Missouri-Kansas City student and her friend, has found success with its…
Tim Tebow to entrepreneurs: Embrace the heavy lift if you want to reap life’s real profits
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Business should be about driving impact, not just scoring another win, said former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow — challenging Midwest entrepreneurs, community builders, and investors to consider outcomes that boost others, not just one’s personal pocketbook. “Probably everybody in this room has been super blessed with skill sets, resources, relationships, opportunities, companies,…
Here’s how a Prospect renewal project invests in both those who built KC and the city’s future
Economic development initiatives are measured not just in buildings, but in opportunity, said Melissa Patterson Hazley, lauding the use of the Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax Program to transform underutilized parcels in Kansas City into modern, energy-efficient housing that support long-term neighborhood vitality. “Projects like Prospect Summit represent the intentional work of making…
Fusing talent, passion: Serial founder trades his Screamin Cow for offshore talent hiring platform
Brad Starnes’ itch to lean into a newly realized pain point at the end of 2024 led to the acquisition of his Screamin Cow Marketing Group and the launch of another passion project, the former UMKC Student Entrepreneur of the Year shared. With the move — which sees Screamin Cow transitioned to Builders of Authority…







