Austin Barnes
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
If your life was a movie, what song would you play in the background? A fast paced techno montage? A jazzy love story? Perhaps a dreary ballad? Regardless of the tune, music is intimately connected with the special moments in life, according to Joel Johnson, who’s set out to prove that with Mixtape, a board…
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Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. High-growth, share-based startups — like Airbnb and Uber — are transforming the hospitality and transportation industries. The sharing economy is also fundamentally changing how people work. From corporate professionals to entrepreneurs, coworking is rapidly becoming a viable alternative to offices and cubicles.…
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Editor’s note: The public comment period on Kansas City’s proposed ride-sharing regulations has now ended, prompting the city’s regulated industries division to submit its recommendations to the Kansas City Council. By directive of the council, city officials have reviewed current laws and culled public input on new, proposed changes, which at this point focus largely…
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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 The Marketing Series: Brand Resiliency When: August 31 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Where: Sprint Accelerator Creating a brand isn’t easy,…
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The Kansas City metro area is one rife with borders. Geographically, it’s cut in half by a river that runs west and east. Economically, there’s a state border that runs north and south. Racially, Kansas City is divided by Troost Ave. Collegiately, the University of Missouri spars with the University of Kansas in a rivalry whose…
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If cities could win “most-improved” awards, Kansas City would be taking home a silver medal this year — at least as far as startup growth goes. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on Thursday released its “Startup Activity Index” for states and metros. This year, Kansas City climbed a whopping 11 places from 29 to 18,…
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Wearable tech startup ShotTracker is furthering its inroads into the world of professional sports. The Overland Park-based firm recently was accepted into the Los Angeles Dodgers and R/GA Ventures’ accelerator program that aims to revolutionize sports with innovative technology. The LA Dodgers Sports Accelerator’s 2016 class of companies includes five firms from around the world…
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For more coverage on TEDxKC, check out this piece on 5 inspirational musings for entrepreneurs.
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After trying deliberations that went into Monday evening, the Kansas City-based grants competition LaunchKC has revealed its 20 finalists that will vie for a piece of the $500,000 pie. The competition — which will distribute $500,000 via 10, $50,000 non-dilutive grants — drew more than 400 tech startup applicants for the second year in a…
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From poets and inventors to musicians and activists, the eighth-annual TEDxKC on Friday challenged attendees to “question everything.” And in that questioning, 13 presenters offered an assortment of inspiring thoughts from which entrepreneurs can learn. Here are five takeaways from the event, which was hosted at the Kauffman Center of Performing Arts and presented by…
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