Photos: ARtechBBQ party gets the beer cheese flowing with a salted pretzel tech twist
November 4, 2024 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Sweater weather returned Friday night alongside Kansas City’s premiere after-hours celebration of tech, and ARtechBBQ organizer Greg Kratofil couldn’t have been happier, he said.
Greg Kratofil, Polsinelli, and Michael Graber, RSM, speak from the stage during the ARtechBBQ; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“How about this being back in the fall?” Kratofil asked a crowd of well-fed revelers at the party within the party on the grounds of the Kansas Speedway. ARtechBBQ — now in its 13th year — coincides with the annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue.
“I’ve got hot chocolate right now,” added the Polsinelli shareholder, chair of the technology transactions and data privacy practice, and co-office managing partner for the law firm’s Kansas City office. “Beats the hell out of 95 degrees.”
The ARtechBBQ — presented by Polsinelli, RSM, SecurIT360, NextEra Energy Resources, Sailes, Rack Coach, and the KC Tech Council — brought together hundreds from the tech community at what Kratofil calls the closest thing that Kansas City has to Mardi Gras.
Click here to read more about the history of the ARtechBBQ.
Check out a brief event photo gallery below, then keep reading.
Members of the party band Lost Wax perform during the 2024 ARtechBBQ; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“There’s a lot of exciting things going on in Kansas City right now, especially around our tech community,” Kratofil said.
“We’ve been a sponsor and have been investing in the tech community for a long time,” added Michael Graber, RSM partner and blockchain lead, joining Kratofil in front of the ARtechBBQ crowd. “We just love being out here and being part of this.”
With this year’s event moving deeper into the fall schedule, it featured an Oktoberfest theme, complete with bratwurst, a biergarten, pretzel bites with beer cheese, and string lights. Of course, no ARtechBBQ would be complete with smoked meats, so brisket and pulled pork was also on the menu.
Attendees also enjoyed live music from local party band Lost Wax.
Startland News served as the event’s media sponsor.
Check out a photo gallery below by Startland News reporters Taylor Wilmore and Nikki Overfelt Chifalu from the ARtechBBQ below.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Invary’s $3.5M seed round gives startup homefield advantage to rewrite the rules of cybersecurity
A $3.5 million seed round backed by two high-profile Kansas City funds is expected to help Invary redefine runtime security, said Jason Rogers, CEO of the Lawrence-based cybersecurity startup — making new funding headlines from within the KU Innovation Park. Invary — a pioneer in Runtime Integrity solutions built on NSA-licensed technology — announced the round…
Closing KCK’s Black-owned coffee shop opens opportunity for Kinship to brew bigger, owner says
When TJ Roberts posted on social media about closing Kinship Cafe, a Black-owned coffee shop in Kansas City’s Strawberry Hill neighborhood, he was surprised by the outpouring of support — a morale boost that not only gives him the spirit to keep fighting for the business, but expand it, he said. “When we posted about…
Kansas brothers launch speedy trial for app that eases reentry for the wrongfully incarcerated
Podcast host-turned-innovator Dylan Carnahan is a man built for talking, he said, but there’s a time when words aren’t enough — when action is needed in the face of injustice. For Carnahan and his brother, that moment is now. “While media spreads awareness, software facilitates action,” said Carnahan, teasing the tech he’s developing alongside Alex…
Restaurant’s nostalgia is only part of it’s recipe: How Paul’s Drive In sizzled a community staple by ‘doing good first’
Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. In the heart of South Kansas City, Paul’s Drive In on Blue Ridge Blvd has been a cherished staple since the 1960s. Through ups and downs — including…