Time to see green: 3 startups spring into Digital Sandbox KC proof-of-concept program

The path from concept to commercialization has three reinvigorated travelers this spring, Jeff Shackelford said Thursday, announcing the latest early-stage entrepreneurs to join Digital Sandbox KC.

Jeff Shackelford, Digital Sandbox KC

The program’s newly joined startups include a tech-driven legal solution and two companies using artificial intelligence to innovate their industries, said Shackelford, executive director of Digital Sandbox KC.

“As we head into year six for the program, it is great to see the volume and quality of our applicants continue to grow,” he said, adding, “This quarter’s companies reflect the great diversity of applicants we see at Digital Sandbox KC.”

The trio of startups receiving program funding includes:

• Stenovate, Kansas City — a technology solution modernizing the court reporter’s approach to producing legal transcripts by matching reporters to industry freelancers, streamlining the process through a seamless, all-in-one collaborative work management platform.
• Helix Health, Kansas City — a clinical business intelligence solution using AI to help healthcare providers allocate their resources to improve health outcomes and lower the cost of care.
• Lelex Prime, Olathe — uses AI-enabled technology to provide behavioral research, helping companies understand why people make decisions that impact their brands.

Digital Sandbox KC also provides proof-of-concept resources including market validation, prototyping and beta testing support for development of digital technologies within new and existing businesses.

“Initiatives like the Sandbox are integral in helping startups like ours scale early on,” said Dan Scott, CEO of Lelex Prime. “We’re using the funds to enhance the speed of our Adapted Artificial Neural Network, which will increase our ability to service more clients.”

Lelex Prime was selected through Digital Sandbox KC’s partnership with the City of Olathe.

Click here to learn more about Lelex Prime’s work to “decode human thought.”

Lauren Lawrence, Stenovate, Pure Pitch Rally

A big winner at the 2019 Pure Pitch Rally during Techweek Kansas City, Stenovate is building on the momentum following the awarding of $3,000 in cash and $25,000 in development resources from Kansas City’s Full Scale.

“Digital Sandbox KC is making it possible for Stenovate to provide efficiency tools to a population that is largely underserved and composed predominantly of small, women-owned businesses across the nation,” said Lauren Lawrence, CEO of Stenovate. “The grant will fund development of our users’ financial insight dashboard, the final component before arriving to market.”

Anurag Patel, Helix Health

A collaboration among private, public, university/research and philanthropic organizations, the program also is a natural fit for Helix Health, which is using machine learning to improve healthcare, Shackelford said.

“It is encouraging to be chosen alongside some great fellow KC innovators,” said Anurag Patel, CEO of Helix Health and a Kansas City startup community mainstay. “Our funds will be used to scale the data analysis to meet the needs of our customers at this early stage.”

The spring startup selections bring the number of early-stage entrepreneurs funded by Digital Sandbox KC to 114, Shackelford said.

Click here to read a Q&A with Jeff Shackelford about what drives his love of Kansas City.