Profiles

Scott Ford, Pepper

You’ll soon have 20+ smart devices in your home; How many will steal your data? 

Consumers of smart technology need to be wary of most of the lesser-known brands in retail stores, said Scott Ford. “Most likely they’re using a platform architecture that sits on a foreign market, sending your data to who knows where, without the protections that are common in the U.S,” said Ford, CEO of Pepper IoT,…

Quest Moffat, Project UK demo day 2018

Project UK earns $100K prize to help build out tech ecosystem, connected community

A $100,000 injection will position Project United Knowledge for growth that could further fill diversity and inclusion gaps in Kansas City’s tech ecosystem.   The accelerator program landed the investment as a winner of the Kapor Center’s $1 million Tech Done Right National Challenge, said Quest Moffat, head of innovation at Project UK.  Beyond financial support,…

Wesley Hamilton, Disabled But Not Really, and Karamo Brown, "Queer Eye"; image courtesy of Netflix

More than a makeover: ‘Queer Eye’ gives Wesley Hamilton an opportunity to thank the shooter who put him in a wheelchair

Wesley Hamilton’s clear vision for his potential impact took away the nerves while in front of cameras for Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” he said.  “Me being able to get on a show with that type of exposure and spread my message to those within my community and outside of it… I’m just really excited for the…

Graham Dodge, Sickweather patent

Sickweather spent 8 years and $100K+ to obtain a patent; Is IP protection worth the cost?

Graham Dodge wanted to check a box for investors seeking security for his crowdsourced sickness forecasting startup Sickweather, he said. Obtaining a patent for the technology, however, proved a tougher task to chart.  “We just wanted to protect ourselves to build value in the company,” said Dodge, CEO of Sickweather, as well as Garnish Health,…

TRNDSTTRS reboots to link companies to new wave of Gen Z consumers

After a period of significant traction that included a merger, TRNDSTTRS Media has returned to Kansas City with a redefined vision and laser focus to better elevate Gen Z in the entrepreneurial and advertising landscape, explained Jake Bjorseth.  “We really wanted to take that next step in growth and rather than compete at these lower…