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.
Featured Business

2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
3 local businessmen named EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year
Three Kansas City area businesspeople recently snagged one of the most prestigious awards for entrepreneurs. EY announced Monday the winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 for the central Midwest, which included three businessmen from the Kansas City metro area. Those receiving the commendation included: Jody Brazil, CEO of FireMon; Matthew Perry, President of…
Women flex their tech muscles at KC conference
Framed by a LEGO guitar and robotic vehicle, Rheanne Walton and Emma Howard anxiously review notes at their podium as dozens of technology experts await their pitch. The middle-school students are visiting the Kansas City Developers Conference to share the story of their all-girl robotics team, MindSTEM, and how it competes in the FIRST LEGO…
New lab hopes to boost digital inclusion in Kansas City
A new computer lab in Northeast Kansas City hopes to serve as a tech oasis in a digital desert among low-income households. Google donated and opened the new lab Monday in Chouteau Court, furthering the company’s mission to help bridge the area’s digital divide through education about computers and Internet use. Rachel Hack Merlo, Google…
Lantern scores big with Sporting Kansas City deal
Tech firm Lantern Software’s mobile app hit the right pitch with its hometown soccer team. The startup, located in Kansas City, Kan., recently partnered with Sporting Kansas City to offer its mobile concessions ordering platform. The deal, effective Saturday, will allow fans in Sporting KC’s Boulevard Members Club to order and pay for concessions on…
