Digital Sandbox helps entrepreneurs fight summer slump
June 16, 2015 | Abby Tillman
With summer knocking at the door, Digital Sandbox KC is taking initiative to provide resources and instruction to keep entrepreneurs engaged and on-point.
Digital Sandbox, a proof-of-concept program that expedites area businesses’ projects, will host the third-annual “Summer in the Sand Series” as a way of prompting discussion around relevant topics for entrepreneurs.
“The Summer in the Sand Series is a dynamic way to engage the startup community and provide relevant and valuable educational support,” Digital Sandbox Director Jeff Shackelford said in a release. “We will bring experts, experienced business owners and investors who can address the specific needs of the entrepreneurial community.”
Digital Sandbox’s summer series will include four events, each held at the Sprint Accelerator, starting at 3:00 p.m.
- June 24 – Maria Meyers of KCSourceLink will speak about the funding landscape in Kansas City and will explore funding mechanisms available to early-stage companies in the local startup community.
- July 15 – Digital Sandbox’s Shackelford will advise entrepreneurs on how to make effective pitches.
- August 19 – A panel of successful business owners in Kansas City — including Stuart Ludlow of RFP365, Danny O’Neill of The Roasterie, and Babir Sultan of Royal Loyal — will review creative ways of achieving early customer acquisition.
- September 16 – A lineup of angel investors will discuss what they look for when making capital investment decisions. The panelists include Tom DeBacco of Flyover Capital, Lance LeMay of OpenAir Equity Partners, Jill Meyer of the UMKC Small Business Technology Development Center, and Rick Vaughn of Mid-America Angels.
Since its inception in 2013, Digital Sandbox has helped create 23 new businesses, 181 new jobs and its businesses have received $17.7 million in follow-on funding.
“This [series] is another way to connect valuable resources and to strengthen the ecosystem that makes Kansas City a great place to start a business,” Shackelford said.
Registration for the Summer in the Sand series is now open and is required for admission.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC Digital Drive creates lab to test drive gigabit apps
Ever since Google Fiber announced Kansas City as its first fiber project, techies across the nation have wondered how gigabit Internet will shape a new wave of innovation and how the city would tap its new infrastructure. And thanks to a new KC Digital Drive initiative, Kansas Citians may have an up-close look at the…
New UMKC center to engage entrepreneurs, community
The University of Missouri-Kansas City recently solidified funds to build an innovation center to serve a broader set of students and the Kansas City community. The $14.8-million Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center will feature a variety of resources for students and the larger business community, including a lab, rapid prototyping equipment, 3D printers and…
Claimkit snags ‘aspirational entrepreneur’ award
Overland Park-based tech startup ClaimKit recently was dubbed 2015’s most “aspirational entrepreneur” by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 2011, Claimkit created a contract management platform for insurance companies, law firms and consulting groups to help them more efficiently collect and analyze documents. Now with five full time staff, the company in…
C2FO CEO Sandy Kemper talks failure, VCs, maximizing time
From a Kansas City arena to the founders of one of the nation’s largest financial institutions, the Kemper name is well known in Kansas City. But it’s more than just Sandy Kemper’s name that drew a sold out crowd at Kansas City’s May Startup Grind event. Kemper leads one of Kansas City’s fastest growing companies…