Just funded: Meet the newest Digital Sandbox KC startups to earn project innovation resources

The latest round of Digital Sandbox KC funding reflects the region’s commitment to emerging digital health companies — as well as industry-agnostic ventures with big, bold ideas, said Jill Meyer.

“These seven startups have shown they have what it takes to be pioneers in their industries, and we’re honored to be able to propel them forward,” said Meyer, senior director of Technology Venture Studio, which houses Digital Sandbox KC. Digital Sandbox KC is again fueling early innovations so they can be tomorrow’s solutions to our most pressing problems.”

Dick Flanigan, Digital Health KC, speaks during the 2024 Digital Health KC Annual Event at The Abbott in Kansas City’s East Crossroads; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

The startups are poised to make a significant impact in their industries, from competition software to sleep health to preventative illness detection, she added. In addition to receiving up to $20,000 in project funding, startups selected for the program gain access to the Technology Venture Studio community, mentors, investor connections and technical project support.

Among the just-announced companies: more than half are part of the Digital Health KC initiative.

“We’re thrilled to see four digital health companies among this quarter’s Digital Sandbox KC recipients,” said Dick Flanigan, CEO of Digital Health KC. “This representation reinforces what we’ve come to know about our region’s digital health cluster: that innovative companies can emerge here, utilize this program and dedicate themselves to solving health care’s biggest challenges.”

Awarded companies include:

• Full Out (Amber Banaszak), Overland Park, Kansas — Full Out is a gym management platform built specifically for gymnastics, dance and cheer gyms. The startup’s tech streamlines class scheduling, payments and communication, saving gym owners time and helping them grow their businesses. With Full Out, running a gym is as seamless as sticking the landing. 

• Guardian Alpha (Nima Sarani), Prairie Village, Kansas — Guardian Alpha is built on a core principle: early recognition of illness leads to better outcomes and helps prevent complications caused by delayed detection. To support this, Guardian Alpha delivers personalized health insights and actionable recommendations by factoring in each user’s unique medical history, geographic location and regional disease trends. Guardian Alpha empowers individuals with proactive tools to stay ahead of illness and make confident, informed health decisions. (Digital Health KC)

• My Health Sentry LLC (Russell Ball), Shawnee, Kansas — My Health Sentry LLC helps people manage their long-term health by reducing their risk for chronic diseases and frailty and providing ongoing monitoring through health device integration. (Digital Health KC)

• Neuru (Antoinette Redmond), Kansas City, Missouri — Neuru is a transformational digital health platform designed to empower families navigating developmental delays or diagnoses. By providing a centralized and intuitive platform, Neuru streamlines access to vital medical, therapeutic and educational records. Its comprehensive features, including a directory of federal, state and local resources, health care providers, a community events calendar and a sensory store make Neuru an indispensable tool for caregivers. (Digital Health KC) 

• NextPitch (Dr. Tiffany Dixon), Kansas City, Missouri — NextPitch is an online platform that helps schools bring real-world learning into the classroom. Students use it to share their ideas, get feedback from professionals and raise money to turn their projects into reality. Teachers can run competitions at the classroom, school or district level using built-in tools that make it easy to organize and track progress. The platform also makes it simple for industry professionals and family members to support students remotely — by giving feedback, voting or contributing to student-led projects. 

• Rebound Jerseys (Aidan Scurato), Kansas City, Missouri — Rebound is a peer-to-peer marketplace for authenticated sports jerseys, empowering expert human moderators with AI-driven authentication technology to protect fans worldwide from the $5 billion counterfeit jersey market. 

• Sleep Fitter (Win Hansen), Lenexa, Kansas — Sleep Fitter is a Sleep Health startup leading individuals and companies to wellbeing through improved sleep by identifying problems that can be improved through fitted sleep equipment. The flagship product, Rairflow by Sleep Fitter, uses reverse airflow to help regulate body temperature during sleep, eliminating night sweats. (Digital Health KC)

“Time and again, we’ve seen companies leverage the recognition, training and financial support from the Sandbox to drive remarkable growth and spark innovation throughout our region,” said Flanigan. “These awards represent an investment not just in these deserving companies but also in the collaborative foundation of Kansas City’s digital health ecosystem.”

These seven companies join 225 other startups that have received support from the program since 2013.

Click here to learn more about Digital Sandbox KC funding or to submit an idea.

“These innovations have some great potential, and we’re excited to be able to accelerate their trajectory,” said Meyer.