Startups

Jeff Lynch, Idle Smart

Idle Smart posts Series A round with KCRise Fund, multimillion-dollar investment support

By Tommy Felts / October 24, 2018

A multi-million dollar investment round has Kansas City-grown Idle Smart revving its engine and accelerating toward rapid growth in 2019, revealed Jeff Lynch, company president. “I think it’s a reflection of what the team has been able to create over the past few years,” Lynch said of Idle Smart’s completion of a milestone Series A…

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LaunchKC winner Erkios: Hacking attacks will come from inside — Fortifi intellectual property

By Tommy Felts / October 24, 2018

Tinkering with old technology defined childhood for Philip Van Der Straeten, COO of Kansas City tech startup Erkios Systems. Such adventures could one day provide a nationwide payoff for his company, he said. “Our organization was built by tinkerers and critical thinkers attempting to break things down and get a better grasp of what they…

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WISE Power

WISE Power generates plans for 9,000-square-foot entertainment lounge at Hy-Vee Arena

By Tommy Felts / October 23, 2018

Hy-Vee Arena is the perfect place for a WISE Power demo site, said Brittany Williams, but it also is an opportunity to bring innovative leisure to Kansas City. The startup’s new showroom doubles as an entertainment lounge providing food, drink and virtual reality. “We figured we needed demo space — like the Tesla space on…

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Fast Democracy

Pure Pitch Rally winner says local investment will push Fast Democracy toward focus on KC politics

By Tommy Felts / October 23, 2018

Offering voters a crystal clear look at the legislative process is winning support for Fast Democracy within the Kansas City startup ecosystem, said Jill Kline, the CEO behind the evolving bill tracking platform. “This was always the roadmap. We started out with some of these basic features, wanting to help the general public get their…

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Kansas Driver License office, Mission, iKan

Skipping the line: PayIt driver’s license renewal tech iKan puts DMV stigma in reverse

By Tommy Felts / October 23, 2018

The market is hungry for consumer-grade digital experiences, said John Thomson, founder and CEO at Kansas City tech startup PayIt. Tuesday’s launch of the firm’s iKan driver’s license renewal technology is a step toward satisfying motorists starved for time and frustrated with inconveniences like long lines and packed parking lots at licensing offices. “Kansas residents…

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