Tag: Philip Hickman

Google’s $100K ‘stamp of approval’ for PlaBook reads like validation for KC-built edtech startup

By Tommy Felts / September 16, 2022

Kansas City expatriate PlaBook is set to receive $100,000 from Google’s initiative to provide funding to Black-led startups. But for Philip Hickman, it’s not just about the funding, he said. It’s also a credibility boost. “We were happy to receive an investment from Google,” the edtech startup founder said. “It’s a stamp of approval to…

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Dr. Philip Hickman, PlaBook

PlaBook to compete for $1M in prizes at world’s largest pitch competition for edtech startups

By Tommy Felts / February 1, 2022

Fresh off its selection to Pipeline’s latest fellowship, a Kansas City edtech startup is now set to compete at The Elite 200 as a semifinalist in The GSV Cup — representing top pre-seed and  seed stage startups in digital learning across the “Pre-K to Gray” space. KC-based PlaBook is set to vie for $1 million…

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2022 Pipeline fellows

Meet the new 2022 Pipeline fellows building ‘breakout’ startups and poised for rapid scale

By Tommy Felts / January 27, 2022

Persistence frequently pays off, said James West, reacting to his selection for Pipeline’s latest fellowship. The Lawrence biotech founder applied to join the elite entrepreneur network off and on since 2011 — and is now among 13 new fellows. “To finally get accepted is recognition of the work and progress I’ve made in the last few…

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Pipeline unveils first-ever double cohort in bid to develop region’s next great serial entrepreneur

By Tommy Felts / January 27, 2022

Twenty-five founders are entering the Pipeline network this week, Melissa Vincent said Thursday, revealing the newest additions to its elite fellowship, as well as the just-debuted Pathfinder cohort for earlier-stage, underserved entrepreneurs. “We were blown away by the response,” said Vincent, executive director of Pipeline, noting the fall 2021 recruiting period was the most vigorous…

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KC’s PlaBook, Erkios selected for coveted $50K Arch Grants, boosting St. Louis startup scene

By Tommy Felts / October 5, 2021

Two Kansas City companies are expected to be part of Arch Grants’ largest-ever selection of startups, earning spots in the highly competitive St. Louis grant program’s 35-member, nearly $2 million 2021 cohort. PlaBook, an edtech reading platform, and Erkios Systems, a cybersecurity hardware startup, were announced Oct. 1 as winning candidates for the program, which…

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