Bringing high-speed travel ‘to the people’: Hyperloop One sets Kansas City arrival date
July 31, 2019 | Startland News Staff
Long Awaited, Virgin Hyperloop One will finally cruise into Kansas City … just not permanently — at least not yet, the company announced Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Hyperloop One
“When government and investor delegations come to our test site, seeing the technology makes it real for them,” Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, said in a release.
“Not everyone can come to the Nevada desert, so we’re bringing our technology to the people — the American people who will be riding this new form of transportation within a decade,” he added.
With the announcement, Hyperloop One formally launched its U.S. Roadshow, which will put its XP-1 hyperloop pod on public display in cities across the country, the company explained.
Kansas Citians will have an opportunity to investigate the pod Sept. 14 during the American Royal BBQ at the Kansas Speedway.
“There has been so much excitement and interest in this technology, and we know the Kansas City tech community and general public will be receptive to the demonstration and learning more details,” said Ryan Weber, president of the KC Tech Council.
During an April visit to the metro, Walder revealed Missouri was a serious contender in the fight to house Hyperloop One.
“What if I told you that I’ve been CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One for five months and this is the first trip I’ve taken to a state where there has been [a feasibility study conducted]?” Walder told a crowd gathered for a KC Tech Council discussion about the future of Hyperloop One.
“I think that’s a vote of confidence,” he quipped.
Click here to find out what three words Walder has for Kansas Citians hungry for Hyperloop.
XP-1 will be on display in Columbus, Ohio and Arlington, Texas before its arrival in Kansas City.
Stops at diners, hotels, museums, parks, state houses, and stadiums are planned along the pods 4,000 mile route across the country, the company said.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
SnapIT’s founder builds tech company’s mission overseas while growing talent pool in Kansas
Employers across the globe need access to tech talent as demand for skilled IT workers surges, said Neelima Parasker, noting her Overland Park-based firm writes critical coding for the solution. “What we provide is unique in the sense that we are producing tech talent the fastest through microcredentials,” said Parasker, the founder and CEO of…
How this reality TV star is using his platform to help tech students start life-changing careers without heavy debt
Nehemiah Clark stands at the crossroads of reality TV and inclusive tech education. As a former cast member on MTV’s “The Real World: Austin” and a frequent competitor on the Paramount+ “The Challenge” series, Clark leverages his audience to further the mission of SnapIT Solutions, he shared. “On [‘The Challenge’], I’ve talked about what I…
How Charlie Hustle’s wholesale expansion, collegiate licensing is growing its brand beyond the KC Heart
Chase McAnulty is on a mission to build Charlie Hustle into a national brand, he shared, without losing the company’s roots in Kansas City. “We’ve really driven the narrative that not only celebrates culture, but civic pride. It’s a challenge to go to these other markets and give them their version of the KC Heart,…
Two UMKC-linked research teams earn Comeback KC Ventures funding for COVID innovations
Two research teams tied to the University of Missouri-Kansas City have received proof-of-concept funding support through Comeback KC Ventures and will take the next step toward bringing their innovations from the university lab to market to solve problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding program announced. Funds from Comeback KC Ventures focus on the…