Need for speed: Mozilla awards $101K to local gigabit projects
January 23, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
The Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund announced it will award a total of $101,000 to fund six local projects that use gigabit technology to impact learning.
The Gigabit Community Fund is a national partnership between the National Science Foundation, US Ignite and Mozilla. Locally, the fund partners with KC Digital Drive, whose goal is to leverage next generation internet technology that will spark innovation in Kansas City and nationally.
“Each of the organizations we’re working with are using an emerging technology to pioneer a new opportunity for learning, and that’s exciting,” said Janice Wait, managing director of Mozilla Gigabit Community fund, Kansas City chapter. “Through these projects, we’re able to support growing ecosystem of education innovation in Kansas City.”
In addition to Kansas City, Mozilla announced grant recipients in Austin and Chattanooga. The pilot period for these projects will begin Jan. 30 and will last for 16 weeks.
Here are the Kansas City grant recipients:
- Big Bang — This local Internet of Things company will bring real-time internet connectivity through “Gigabots,” educational robotics that will be implemented in Kansas City and Austin, Texas.
- The Urban Farming Guys – This nonprofit dedicated to elevating equal opportunity will build an IoT Smart Greenhouse and aquaponics, offering open source food production and education.
- Trinity Animation — This Lees Summit-based animation studio will use medical VR for anatomical education.
- ElevateEDU — This project will leverage science and volunteer computing to create learning and research opportunities for students.
- V Form Alliance — The V Form Alliance, which consists of 5 women of color, will use VR to teach black history via “virtual field trips” to landmarks in Kan. and Mo.
- University of Kansas, School of Architecture, Design & Planning — To deploy population health strategy in smart cities, students and professors will lead a project and design sustainable, affordable housing.
Featured Business
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Meet 20 entrepreneurs primed to scale their ventures through KC program’s 15th cohort
Transformational opportunities await growth-minded entrepreneurs from across Kansas City’s wide range of industries, said Jill Hathaway, noting business leaders from sports tech to roofing, brewing to nutrition counseling, can scale with the right coaching, perspective and connections. ScaleUP! Kansas City on Monday announced its 15th cohort of 20 local companies looking to create new jobs,…
Plaza food hall returns with Lula’s, Guy’s, J. Rieger and more KC foodie favorites inside
A hotel food hall — just up the hill from a main artery of the Country Club Plaza — is planning a restaurant rally this week; reopening its shared culinary experience with some of the Kansas City food scene’s biggest local brands and a food hall rarity: full-service. Under new management, a new name, and…
Fit Truk shifts gears, building mass by scaling custom-built mobile gyms across US
Fit Truk has traded its hometown workout circuit for a manufacturing floor and an international sales map. The Kansas City-born company is now producing custom-built mobile gyms for clients across the country and abroad. “We have three different models of trucks,” said Josh Guffey, co-founder of Fit Truk. “We have trucks going out all over…
Down to vibes: Fans of fellow their musicians form Kansas City dream pop group Silvee
Kansas City’s lineup of creative talent plays best when musicians can plug into bands where they’re needed most, said Sky Cowdry, describing an inclusive local music scene built on shared resources, and sounds. Silvee — a singer-songwriter-driven dream pop group infused with rock and roll (and set to perform at Tuesday’s Small Biz to Watch…