Sprint Accelerator welcomes seven startups to KC, launches 2017 program

The Sprint Accelerator announced Monday the seven startups from around the country that it welcomed into its fourth annual program, which also launched Monday.

For the 2017 cohort, the Sprint Accelerator is focused on solidifying corporate partnerships. Fueled by Dairy Farmers of America and Virgin Mobile, the 90-day program will welcome startups from two tracks — agtech and digital.

“We’ve made some big changes to our program for the fourth year,” said Sprint Accelerator managing director Doug Dresslaer in a release. “Some of the goals and technologies of these two independent vertical programs are strikingly complementary, which means these entrepreneurs have more access to the resources they need to grow. And, with even more mentorship from experts than in the past, we expect the collaborations between the startups and corporations to be incredibly productive for both sides.”

By the end of the program, each startup will have completed a project as agreed upon by the corporate partner.

Here’s more about the startups that hail from all across the country:

AgTech track

• AgVoice, Atlanta, Ga. — Set to launch in 2017, AgVoice is a mobile voice-interaction device designed for food and agriculture professionals to capture on-the-go insights.
• HerdDogg, Longmont, Colo. — This firm developed “smart tags for cows,” which can identify and monitor the health of livestock.
• My Dairy Dashboard, Frisco, Texas — For the dairy industry, this solution connects professionals with the data analytics they need. The dashboard includes management, feed, coop and weather data.
• TradeLanes, Miami, Fla. — A software as a service platform that enables shippers, merchants and traders to better control their supply chain.

Digital track

• Centiment, New York, N.Y. — This machine learning startup wants to bring emotion back to advertisement. The artificial intelligence software will analyze the emotion of content and will generate the likelihood of the ad’s success, based on its target market.
• DART Technologies, New York, N.Y. — Connecting new media with mobility, DART Technologies is a software company that builds location-based solutions for transit and urban development.
• Oodles Rewards, Austin, Texas — A mobile customer loyalty platform made for small businesses, helping retailers make data-driven marketing decisions.

Unlike the Sprint Accelerator in years past, the 2017 program will not make a financial investment in participating startups. The startups, however, will still receive “unprecedented resources,” the accelerator said in a release.

“Our goal, is to deliver on strategic outcomes shared by both the corporation and the startup,” said vice president of Pinsight Media and managing executive of the Sprint Accelerator Kevin McGinnis. “Together, we hope to bring innovations to market that will be transformational to digital and agricultural businesses.”