Tag: Austin Barone

Showcase showdown: KC Chamber rallies ‘Mr. K competitors, but small biz owners say it feels more like family

By Tommy Felts / April 12, 2024

The husband-wife duo behind Kansas City-based Shark OFF appreciate the local entrepreneurial ecosystem so much that they actually list it as one of their startup’s co-founders, Geoff Geist shared. “We would not exist if it weren’t for this community,” said Geist, the co-founder and COO of Shark OFF, which offers shark repellent bracelets that are…

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Sports tech founder: Team’s years of work laid groundwork for Forbes 30 Under 30 honor

By Tommy Felts / December 7, 2023

Being named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for sports — alongside athletes like Lamar Jackson, Kyle Kuzma, and Ronald Acuna — adds more fuel to the fire for Austin Barone, the 29-year-old co-founder of Just Play Sports Solutions. “The growth we have experienced over the past few years has been tremendous, so to receive this…

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2018 LaunchKC winners

Meet the 2018 LaunchKC winners: $500,000 in grants awarded at Techweek finale

By Tommy Felts / October 12, 2018

LaunchKC, the hotly anticipated annual pitch contest, capped Techweek Kansas City Friday by awarding a half-million dollars in non-dilutive grant funds to nine winning startups from among 20 finalists. An Atlanta company earned the day’s top prize. The finalist competitors — who beat out more than 586 applicants for a spot on this year’s stage —…

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With 400 teams and counting, coaches and founders agree: Just Play Solutions is a ‘no-brainer’

By Tommy Felts / April 18, 2018

One of Kansas City’s fastest-growing sports-fitness startups, Just Play Solutions, posted a 225-percent revenue increase headed into 2018, its co-founder said. “That type of growth just doesn’t happen all the time,” said Austin Barone. Just Play’s mobile and web app platform specializes in workflow management for football, basketball and — most recently — lacrosse coaches.…

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Pipeline celebrates Evan Luxon, Esculon

Pipeline celebrates Innovator of the Year, diversity of fellows’ firms (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / January 26, 2018

Throughout Thursday night’s The Innovators gala, alumni of the Pipeline fellowship teased that their individual classes were the best in the entrepreneur network’s 11-year history. Newcomer to the stage Evan Luxon, however, made a case for the tight-knit 2017 fellows based on the group’s perseverance. “We’re a small, but mighty class,” said Luxon, winner of…

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