Startups

DeepLens, Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

UMKC awards students $75K in prizes at Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

By Tommy Felts / May 8, 2019

Student startups are growing rapidly on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, said Bryan Boots. Such acceleration has been further propelled thanks to the recent distribution of $75,000 in prize money, awarded to a series of winners of the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge Competition May 2-3, split across events at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation…

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Paul Francis, OYO Fitness space tech

‘Wild idea’ behind OYO Fitness sends KC inventor into Space Tech Hall of Fame

By Tommy Felts / May 8, 2019

Commercial viability for an inventor-entrepreneur comes with only about a “one in 1,000” chance of success, said OYO Fitness founder Paul Francis, who was recently inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for his patented SpiraFlex technology. “It’s probably much smarter to come up with an app because you don’t have any selling costs…

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Techstars KC Lesa Mitchell

Techstars KC on hiatus as Lesa Mitchell takes new role with Indianapolis accelerator

By Tommy Felts / May 8, 2019

Techstars Kansas City is expected to “hit pause” on programming and is not returning for a 2019 cohort, said David Brown, noting the exact timing of the next program is still undecided. “Our full intention is to continue in Kansas City,” said Brown, founder and co-CEO of the national accelerator network. “We love Kansas City…

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Adam Blake, Zego PayLease

KC’s Zego acquired by San Diego firm; CEO’s smart home tech innovation to continue

By Tommy Felts / May 7, 2019

Two years after leaving the successful energy company he founded for the quick pace of startup life, Adam Blake is again making a big exit. His smart home technology firm, Zego, has been acquired by a San Diego-based leader in the property management industry, the startup announced Tuesday. Terms of the deal with PayLease were…

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Jay Allen, the Scarlet Knight

Fund Me, KC: ‘Scarlet Knight’ returns to inner city streets with a moral dilemma about abuse of power

By Tommy Felts / May 7, 2019

Startland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Juaquan Allen with his Scarlet Knight campaign — to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Who are you? My name is Juaquan “Jay” Allen. I’m a…

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