No Coast winners: Two rapidly growing KC tech startups championed

Tech leadership and innovation know No Coast, said Ryan Weber Friday night as the KC Tech Council revealed its inaugural award show honorees.

The Abbott

Beneath the glittering chandeliers of the Abbott luxury event space — and surrounded by elaborate set pieces and balloon art — Weber and the KC Tech Council team announced winners in four No Coast categories that enveloped industry, policy and workforce.

Startup faces taking home prizes included a Martin City-headquartered cyber security powerhouse, Fishtech Group, and the driving force behind Merriam-based sports tech firm, ShotTracker.

Click here to learn about how Fishtech is securing its place in a threat-filled market.

Click here for more on why ShotTracker was selected as one of Startland’s Startups to Watch in 2019.

“The story of Kansas City’s tech industry is being written at a rapid pace,” said Karen Hornig, CEO of KC-based insurance information tech services firm NIPR, introducing the Outstanding Contribution to Tech Award. “The story of the region’s future as a technology hub will be written by many of the people and organizations in this room.”

Danielle Feinberg, Pixar Animation Studios

Friday’s family-focused No Coast celebration featured a number of youth award presenters, as well as a lively crowd of children in the audience. Fittingly, a keynote illuminated by Danielle Feinberg, a director of photography at Pixar Animation Studios, focused heavily on Feinberg’s experience working on such hit family films as “Wall-E” and “Coco.”

Loving that the @KCTechCouncil has embraced #InternationalWomensDay throughout their #nocoast19 event, featuring a female speaker, engaging women and girls, and making the event explicitly kid-friendly. And also, not pink. Tech event organizers, take note. #startupkc #techkc pic.twitter.com/WzsuvQ0heN

— Melissa Roberts (@msmeliss2024) March 9, 2019

“We hope to make our attendees feel comfortable to bring kids, nieces, nephews, you name it, because there’s going to be a great opportunity for them to experience the tech that’s created in Kansas City and be inspired,” Weber said before the event, which began with an interactive tech showcase featuring such KC companies as Dimensional Innovations, Garmin, VMLY&R, WeWork and Fishtech Group.

No Coast award winners included:

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Outstanding Contribution to Tech

Fishtech Group

(Finalists: Alphapointe; and Stackify)

Kara Lowe, KC Tech Council; Jennie Hanna and Valerie Sablin, Fishtech Group

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Tech Connector of the Year

Davyeon Ross, co-founder and COO, ShotTracker

(Finalists: Greg Kratofil, managing partner, Polsinelli; and Matt Watson, founder, Stackify)

Ryan Weber, KC Tech Council; Ryder Jarrett, student intern; Jeff Portsche, Garmin; and Davyeon Ross, ShotTracker

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Tech Champion of the Year

Brian Baker, lead government strategist, Cerner

(Finalists: Bob Bennett, chief innovation officer, City of KCMO; and Travis Fitzwater, member, Missouri House of Representatives)

Brian Baker, Cerner

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Tech Educator of the Year

Jill Riffer, Blue Valley CAPS

(Finalists: Kevin Clevenger, Blue Springs School District; and Lisa Oyler, Summit Technology Academy)

Antonio Linhart, student; Jill Riffer, Blue Valley CAPS; and Ryan Weber, KC Tech Council