Austin Barnes

Recent Articles by Austin Barnes

Kansas Citians preparing for plethora of pitch competitions

October 13, 2016

A staple of early-stage business — the elevator pitch — will be on full display for the Kansas City community in coming weeks. Entrepreneurs from around the metro area have several upcoming opportunities to pitch their businesses or to hear other innovators deliver spiels on their firms. Here are few of those events. The University of Kansas’…

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Royals, entrepreneurial stars fielding pitches from Kansas City educators

October 12, 2016

Children today require more than just a pencil and paper to complete their lesson plan. Thanks to a booming education technology market, teachers’ out-of-pocket spending goes far beyond the occasional pen, pencil or box of tissues nowadays. In 2013, teachers spent $1.6 billion annually to support their classroom. To alleviate the climbing prices of basic…

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FCC commissioner Ajit Pai’s six strategic steps to close the digital divide

October 11, 2016

In his second visit to Kansas City within the last six months, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Ajit Pai stopped by Think Big Tuesday as part of his fight to close the digital divide. Growing up in a small Kansas town three hours south of the metro, Pai said he’s familiar with the energy and vitality…

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New regulations yield opportunity for animal feed tech startup

October 11, 2016

Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by LaunchKC but independently produced by Startland News. Growing up, Gretchen Henry’s family farmed cotton in Southeast Missouri. Although most are familiar with the white, pillowy substance we find in our clothes, use to wash our face or clean our ears, animals also eat it. Livestock feed features many…

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EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush offers an update on hiring plans, global expansion

October 11, 2016

When your goal is to more than quadruple your company’s user base — from 450 million to 2 billion people — it usually entails a world of change. And such is the case for Kansas City-based EyeVerify, a biometrics startup that recently sold to Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial for more than $100 million. Startland News spoke…

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Global content marketers dub DivvyHQ as their No. 1 platform

October 10, 2016

Editor’s note: In response to readers’ desire for quick-hitting stories, Startland News is launching a new segment, “News Flash,” to enable more coverage. Let us know what you think! DivvyHQ is riding a wave of excitement after its peers in the world of content marketing recently voted the company as the best solution in its…

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mySidewalk partners with the White House on its open data initiative

October 10, 2016

Editor’s note: In response to readers’ desire for quick-hitting stories, Startland News is launching a new segment, “News Flash,” to enable more coverage. Let us know what you think!   Kansas City tech firm mySidewalk is working with the White House. The firm on Friday announced its participation in The Opportunity Project, an initiative that…

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Chris Brown: Non-compete alternatives KC business leaders should consider

October 10, 2016

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult an attorney. In addition to reducing risk and protecting employers, non-compete agreements can have community-wide benefits. But recent research by organizations including the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation…

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Is your logo too safe? KU researcher explores the psychology behind your branding

October 7, 2016

Your logo may not be communicating what you want, which could hurt your business, according to new research.   In her recent research on logo design, University of Kansas marketing scholar Noelle Nelson found that the disconnection between what founders hope to convey with a logo and how a person perceives it may discourage a…

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Batch of startup funding news kicks off Kansas City’s autumn

October 6, 2016

In response to readers’ desire for quick-hitting stories, Startland News is launching a new segment, “News Flash,” to enable more coverage. Let us know what you think! Fall in Kansas City is off to a solid start for area startups. Several firms in the metro area have recently raised capital that they hope will accelerate…

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