Listen to Startland’s bonkers SXSW experience

March 16, 2016  |  Bobby Burch

Virtual reality, smart cities and a whole lot of habaneros.

There was more to Startland’s adventure to Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest — but those three items were certainly some memorable highlights.

The Startland team spent five nights in Austin, taking in the insanity that is SXSW. We saw a ton of incredible technology — virtual reality, holograms and touch-screen projectors to name some — and enjoyed many inspiring conversations about the future.

An array of Kansas City firms and startup founders ventured to SXSW as well, many with whom Startland cultivated better friendships. Kansas City more than held its own at the conference and it was a privilege to see.

KCUR’s Up To Date recently hosted Startland editor-in-chief Bobby Burch to discuss the journey down south, including how Kansas City was represented, cool tech he saw and some emerging trends.

We’ll have more in the coming days on the experience, but in the meantime enjoy the audio below. Special thanks to KCUR for sharing its content. If you have questions about the conference, ask in the comments below and he’ll try his best to respond in an upcoming piece.

Tagged , , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder
      [adinserter block="4"]

      2016 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Pour decisions: Craft beverage enthusiasts add Sunday tasting event to KC’s pregame cart

        By Tommy Felts | October 9, 2025

        Kansas City’s roster of craft beverages — from rookies to veteran players on the scene — come to the field in a wide range of uniforms, said Jason Burton, noting there’s no better time to checkout the lineup with thirsty friends than as the Chiefs return to Arrowhead Stadium this weekend. The play: showcase Kansas…

        Back to the people: Social venture firm connects WyCo entrepreneurs with a human-centered toolkit

        By Tommy Felts | October 9, 2025

        Editor’s note: The following story is presented through a paid partnership with Network Kansas. [divide] An initiative built on collaboration with business boosters already embedded in urban communities is deepening Network Kansas’ impact, said Erik Pedersen, sharing how the strategy helps more readily connect entrepreneurs to available resources like loans and technical assistance. In Wyandotte…

        Great Jobs KC aims to impact 50,000 Kansas City scholars within a decade — one life at a time

        By Tommy Felts | October 8, 2025

        Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. [divide] Natalie Lewis is no stranger to complex work. As chief operating officer of Great Jobs KC, she oversees programs that connect thousands of Kansas Citians with scholarships, tuition-free job…

        Black Feast Week returns to feed restaurants new diners, combat hunger in Kansas City

        By Tommy Felts | October 8, 2025

        Opening Black Feast Week — designed to promote Black-owned restaurants, chefs, and culinary creativity — by feeding 150 single Black mothers for free was an intentional act of community care, said Joshua “JT” Taylor. “We’ve always tried to prioritize helping people who are most marginalized,” said Taylor, senior content producer and chief administrative officer at…