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
Pipeline opens application for 2023 fellowship, Pathfinder; boosts its own storytelling
Midwest entrepreneurs deserve the resources they need to scale into high-growth ventures, said Melissa Vincent, announcing the launch this week of applications for Pipeline’s latest fellowship and Pathfinder program for overlooked founders. Tapping into its network of more than 180 entrepreneurs who have generated over $2.2 billion in revenues, Pipeline’s support system ranges from intense…
2022 Kansas City’s VC-Backed Companies Report
The metro’s field of venture capital-backed companies is getting more crowded — their payrolls swelling with new employees — amid a bounce-back from the global pandemic and new signals of Kansas City’s momentum, according to data in a new report from Startland News. The 2022 Kansas City Venture Capital-Backed Companies Report provides an updated snapshot into…
Sicilian legacy meats its match: Why this rising star on KC’s food scene was DiCapo’s pick to take over family pizzeria after nearly 100-year run
As a teenager working in downtown Kansas City in the 1990s, Theresa Santos found herself spending her breaks and spare time at the Italian Gardens restaurant on 12th and Baltimore, she recalled. Growing up in New York City and infatuated with Italian culture and food, Santos quickly became friends with the staff — then the…
You shouldn’t have to drive through hell to find a car, founder says; Startup brings concierge service to online auto customers
Not all car buyers want to be in the driver’s seat — especially when attempting to navigate a disconnected roadmap of dealer-focused online marketplaces, said Eric Westphal. “Years ago, when I was looking for a car, I knew what I wanted and I couldn’t find it locally,” said Westphal, describing the inspiration behind Overland Park-based…