Austin Barnes
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
Brian McClendon — vice president of maps and business platform at Uber — may reside in Silicon Valley, but his roots are here in the prairie. Originally from Lawrence, Kan., McClendon graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in electrical engineering and now serves on several advisory boards for his alma mater. Sporting…
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In what represents one of the metro’s most notable exits in the last decade, Kansas City-based startup EyeVerify announced Tuesday that it has been acquired. Ant Financial — the payments affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding — purchased EyeVerify for more than $100 million, according to an unnamed local source familiar with the deal. Ant Financial…
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As part of a massive Midwestern expansion, Google Express is offering its services in Kansas City. Google announced Tuesday that it’s now offering delivery services to more than 40 million new Midwest customers after its debut in 2013. Google Express — an online marketplace that connects shoppers with retailers — provides delivery services of…
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A graduate of the Sprint Mobile Accelerator is gearing up for a pitch on what’s arguably the biggest stage in the startup tech world. Based in Kansas City, Kan., Rex Animal Health is participating Monday evening in TechCrunch’s Disrupt San Francisco 2016 Startup Battlefield competition for a chance at winning $50,000 and the Disrupt Cup.…
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If a blossoming collaboration between two city leaders is any indication, innovation knows no borders in the Kansas City metro. Bob Bennett, chief innovation officer for Kansas City, Mo., and Alan Howze, chief knowledge office for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kan., both share a common goal: they believe that open…
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There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW Second Fridays at Village Square When: September 9 @ 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Where: Village Square Coworking Studio Second…
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Editor’s note: On a daily basis, Coty Beasley translates the jargon-filled world of technology for clients. The Words that Frustrate (WTF) series aims to offer readers some clarity in an industry dominated by techies’ confusing argot. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. By reading this article, you may be one of…
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One of Kansas City’s newest venture funds is making good on its promise to immerse itself in the world of startups. Only a few weeks after its debut, Kansas City-based Firebrand Ventures announced on Thursday that it has partnered with Plexpod to work directly alongside its entrepreneurs at what will be the world’s largest coworking…
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Think your business is one in a million? The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is offering 1 Million Cups presenters from the last year a chance to snag some cash — and this year they’ve bumped up the prize to $25,000. In its second year, the 1 in a Million competition is open to any firm…
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A $69 million office-to-apartment conversion project in Kansas City will soon feature new Internet-of-Things technology that its creators hope will become a model for the world of real estate. Amid a flood of development projects in downtown Kansas City, Sunflower Development Group and Block Real Estate Services are converting Traders on Grand — a 20-story…
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