Digital Sandbox announces funding for six new companies
March 23, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
On Thursday, Digital Sandbox KC announced its newest cohort of six area startups.
Led by entrepreneur Jeff Shackelford, the Kansas City-based incubator welcomed 17° 73° Innovation Co, Anticipate Ventures, FEWDM, Homegrown & Happy, Live-K and TicketRx to the program.
“The continued support through partnerships, like Independence, Olathe and Great Plains Energy for the Energy Sandbox, give us the opportunity to increase the quantity and quality of early-stage entrepreneurs across the entire metro area,” said Shackelford in a release. “It’s vital that we continue to drive a high-volume of early-stage companies who have rapid growth potential.”
Digital Sandbox invests up to $25,000 in area businesses for specific projects that help the firms secure additional funding. The organization has now supported a total of 85 proof-of-concept projects which have gone on to raise almost $30 million in follow-on investment capital.
Here’s more about the companies:
- 17° 73° Innovation Co. — a firm focused on finding solar solutions. It’s first product, the Sunshine Box, is a device designed to narrow the gap for mobile-first technology users and allow them to access reliable and safe electricity.
- Anticipate Ventures — a health and ag tech company who created a product using UV light to reduce bacteria and viruses and their associated diseases in medical, food, hygiene.
- FEWDM — a fitness tech company with products Rock360 and Omniball, that employ a ball-bearing system that allows it to roll in any direction with limited friction. Both could be used in place of a dumbbell or medicine ball and facilitate core exercises with an app.
- Homegrown & Happy — an online marketplace for sharing recipes and buying personalized foods.
- Live-K — a mobile app that uses GPS technology to reward recreational runners for their participation.
- TicketRX — a digital platform that instantly connects drivers in need with an a licensed attorney.
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
This AI keyboard can write your next email with the push of just one button; its creator says it could revolutionize workplaces
Hardware — not just software — should be at the forefront of the AI’s future, Jerry Hsu shared. After the successful release of its GPT-powered AI mouse, Jethro V1, in late 2024, Overland Park-based Virtusx — which is revolutionizing workplaces through integrating hardware and software to make AI-driving products more accessible and user-friendly — has…
Alexa, show me the winners: Storytailor leads Pure Pitch Rally prize tally ahead of tech launch
Storytailor’s marquee Pure Pitch Rally win comes at the perfect time for the Kansas City startup, its founders said. They’re preparing to roll out a new immersive storytelling platform through a partnership with Amazon’s Alexa+ next year — a move expected to bring their tech to more than 200 million Prime users. “It’s the most…
LISTEN: How the Midwest opened this German agtech company’s eyes to opportunity in the US
On this episode of our 12-part Plug and Play Topeka podcast series, we connect with Débora Moretti, co-CEO of NutriSen — a Berlin-based agtech startup building real-time molecular sensors to measure nutrient concentrations in plants directly on the field. Moretti shares how her team, alongside co-founder Tobias Vöpel, is merging biosensor technology, data-driven insights and…
Crossing lanes: KC Streetcar collaborators back aboard for expansion, dropping new merch, anthem
Opening the extended KC Streetcar line Friday completes a loop for creatives whose collaborations with the popular public transit system first emerged nearly a decade ago along Main Street — a time when Kansas City’s surging vibrancy helped curb streetcar doubters. “For us, it’s always been about representing Kansas City — the people, the culture,…