mySidewalk teases Sidekick — a data assistant at the forefront of AI’s difficult-to-simple transformation
May 22, 2024 | Startland News Staff
A new purpose-built community data and visualization tool from mySidewalk is designed to revolutionize decision making and empower those willing to embrace change when supplied with accessible and reliable data.
The Kansas City-based govtech company this month announced the beta launch of Sidekick, an AI-powered data assistant meant to drive meaningful progress through insights gleaned from it and the startup’s broader platform, said Stephen Hardy, CEO of mySidewalk.
“Finding useful data to make critical community investment and development decisions is too hard. We can change that,” he said. “We’re at the forefront of a new era where AI can make the difficult simple.”
“Our beta testers are helping to make Sidekick an invaluable resource for leaders dedicated to making a positive difference,” Hardy continued.
mySidewalk has a team dedicated to gathering the most relevant data for customers and offering tools that allow anyone — not just data scientists — to understand it, he said.
Building on mySidewalk’s mission to democratize data and equip changemakers with the necessary tools, Sidekick simplifies data access, provides trusted and transparent analytics, and facilitates data-driven storytelling while helping users sidestep technical barriers with an intuitive, natural language interface.
Those interested can access Sidekick through mySidewalk’s software platform to explore thousands of data points, create visualizations like maps, and craft narratives about transportation, economy indicators, public health, housing, and environmental factors.
Sidekick will be available to mySidewalk customers as part of their software subscription.
“Sidekick is founded on principles of accessibility and equity,” Hardy said. “Our robust foundation of meticulously researched proprietary data ensures reliable results, fostering trust and transparency in the analysis process. Ultimately, Sidekick will free up time for high-impact activities by finding and communicating meaningful insights faster and with less effort.”
Want to help beta test Sidekick? Click here to join the waitlist.

2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Supporters-turned critics: Sales tax for east side projects ‘went off the rails’; KCMO mayor defends effort’s progress
Editor’s note: This in-depth reporting project was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. Revenue flows in faster than it gets disbursed for projects If you…
Film to promote Walt Disney’s historic Kansas City animation studio gets $10K boost
Efforts to restore the original Laugh-O-gram Studio building along Troost Avenue are getting a bump from a Missouri Humanities grant and a matching donation from a longtime local supporter of the arts in Kansas City. Thank You Walt Disney — a not-for-profit dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Walt Disney’s first animation studio, the…
Feds award $500K for Goodwill, LaunchCode jobs training effort through STEM Tech Challenge
Nearly a half-million dollars in federal funds are expected to help two local programs forge a new STEM-based job training initiative to help Kansas City-region job seekers find permanent high-wage careers in tech. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, on Wednesday announced a $499,196 award from the U.S. Department of Commerce to Goodwill MoKan (Goodwill of…
JQ Sirls is the king of his own universe; his new book puts a distinctly Black hero at the center of it
JQ Sirls started popping through the multiverse as a child; escaping through various worlds and alternate realities via stories like “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Wizard of Oz” — as well as magical realms he created himself. “Those are my DNA,” said Sirls, a Kansas City-based author, artist and the entrepreneur behind…


