Growth-fueled HR tech startup moving to Crossroads after announcing $9M defense contract
April 16, 2025 | Startland News Staff
Jumping from a handful of employees to 15 over the past year has come with growing pains for Piccadilly Software Group, said co-founder Abe Dick, but the flip-side comes in the form of enhanced community presence, new office space, and greater opportunity for its signature product.
The company this month announced its move to a 6,400-square-foot office space in the Wonder Hub building at 1607 Oak St. — just months after lauding a $9 million contract supporting the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense’s submarine industrial base initiatives. (That project provides the startup’s TEQ Connect platform to help defense contractors accelerate the hiring of qualified candidates and boost worker retention in the national defense industry.)
“Piccadilly Software Group has grown significantly in the past year, and we now have the room we need to accommodate future growth, and we get to do it right in the heart of the city,” said Dick, who also is chief technology officer at Piccadilly Software Group.
“The Crossroads is an ideal location for our new headquarters,” he continued. “This is where our current and future team members want to be, and we look forward to rapidly expanding our organization in 2025 and beyond.”
Piccadilly Cloud’s TEQ Connect product was developed by father-son duo Ray Dick (CEO), a University of Kansas engineering instructor-turned-entrepreneur, and Abe Dick, a software engineer who previously worked at such top startups as PayIt and Pepper IoT; and a growing team in Kansas City.
The company’s first-of-its-kind SaaS platform was developed to enable human resources managers in manufacturing and the skilled trades to speed hiring, enhance retention and increase productivity.
Needs across industries abound, its co-founders said.
The U.S. Navy, for example, needs three new nuclear-powered submarines each year for the next 10 years to secure the nation, Ray Dick said previously, noting it’s an effort that will require an estimated 140,000 “highly skilled, well-trained and highly motivated workers.”
“Using TEQ Connect, military contractors can quickly identify and hire the ‘best fit’ employees they need to fulfill their missions and keep America strong,” he added.
The Wonder Hub building also is home to O’Neill Events & Marketing. It previously housed the Head for the Cure Foundation, which relocated to 3238 Gillham Rd, Kansas City.
Featured Business

2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Small Biz to Watch: Matchless Cabinet throws ‘BBQ nerds’ onto national spotlight’s grill
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…
KC-built creator marketplace expands to connect small businesses to influencers of all sizes
When Wes Elder and Caleb Vetter launched CreatorSpace more than a year ago, they set out to carve their own path through the blended world of entertainment and technology, Elder shared. Now their startup — what they bill as the world’s first creator marketplace — is taking a new turn. The co-founders plan to release…
Tiger 21 expands its invite-only peer network in KC as number of ultra-wealthy leaders rises
A prestigious — and relatively new-to-Kansas City — resource for high-net-worth C-suite leaders and successful entrepreneurs and founders is expanding: Tiger 21, a premier peer membership organization for ultra-wealth creators and preservers, is adding a second group. The launch is being orchestrated by Heidi Lehmann, a seasoned investor, board member and five-time startup founder leading…
Small Biz to Watch: Deposit The Work builds mass with tech-enabled consistency — no excuses, all grit
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…

