Startups

Hyperloop

Looping back? Missouri partners with Hyperloop to study 23-minute KC-St Louis route

By Tommy Felts / October 3, 2017

Missouri’s prospects for landing a Hyperloop route apparently aren’t off the rails after all. Despite the company revealing four U.S. finalist routes in September — which did not include a proposed route through the Show Me State – Hyperloop One announced Tuesday it has entered into a public-private partnership with the State of Missouri to conduct…

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Chris Callen, CEO of Plot

Techstars Spotlight: GRIT Virtual builds 3-D tech into 2-D construction mindset

By Tommy Felts / October 3, 2017

3-D should stay 3-D, said Chris Callen, CEO of GRIT Virtual. And with the rise of virtual reality and augmented reality technology, that philosophy can be applied to the construction of 3-D buildings, Callen said. Wichita-based GRIT Virtual is a software-as-a-service platform for large contractors. It uses VR software to streamline the workflow for construction…

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Komal Choong, ZOHR, and Jennifer Rosenblatt, MusicSpoke

Under-the-radar innovators exchange challenges, answer ‘Why KC?’ (photo gallery)

By Tommy Felts / October 3, 2017

It all comes back to time and money, Jennifer Rosenblatt said. “With a startup, things always take longer, and they always cost a lot more,” said Rosenblatt, co-founder of MusicSpoke. “Where we are now is not where I wanted to be.” Though selected as one of Startland News’ 2017 under-the-radar Kansas City startups, as well…

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Mycroft reveals newest open source AI product

By Tommy Felts / September 29, 2017

Kansas City-based artificial intelligence startup Mycroft AI revealed Wednesday its newest product during Techcrunch Disrupt’s Product Showcase in San Francisco. The firm opened a Silicon Valley office in 2016, yet its headquarters remains in Kansas City. Mycroft is an open-source device, similar to Amazon Echo, using natural language processing technology to enable its everyday use in…

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Dave Alburty, CEO of InnovaPrep

Pipeline alum set to ‘save the world’ through $1M US Army biotech contract

By Tommy Felts / September 28, 2017

The U.S. Army recently awarded a Missouri biotech startup a $1 million contract for 24 months. Based in Drexel, Missouri, about an hour south of Kansas City, InnovaPrep was selected out of hundreds of proposals for the Department of Defense’s 2016 Rapid Innovation Fund. The contract is expected to advance development of the U.S. Army…

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