Austin Barnes
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
After over a year of settling down into a relaxed lifestyle, serial entrepreneur Gary Fish found that he missed the thrill of competition that comes with running a business. In April, the successful Kansas City businessman launched Fishtech Labs — a managed security services company that also boasts an investment arm that targets tech firms.…
Read MoreAbout a year ago, leaders in Kansas City’s coworking industry banded together in an alliance to bring awareness to their trade. The Kansas City Coworking Alliance has grown as a catalyst in the area startup community, promoting independent collaborative working among entrepreneurs and remote workers. Comprised of 10 studios around the metro, the group is…
Read MorePolished and poised, Amanda Signorelli is one part executive and two parts storyteller. As CEO of Techweek, Signorelli leads a team whose mission is to highlight and catalyze innovation hubs outside Silicon Valley. Much like Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Signorelli’s organization is trumpeting the message that a vibrant tech community isn’t exclusive to trendy, Bay…
Read MoreThere 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 KC Coworking Week When: KC Coworking Alliance Members Where: participating locations Aug 8-12 is the official KC Coworking Week! Free drop-in coworking…
Read MoreU.S. House Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kansas, told a group of Kansas City entrepreneurs Thursday that he has their interests at heart when he heads back to Washington D.C. in September. Speaking at the Enterprise Center in Johnson County as part of Startup Day Across America, Yoder said that he aims to make sure entrepreneurs in…
Read MoreNational startup activity is on the rise, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The foundation on Thursday released its most recent report on the state of early-stage business in the U.S., which found that new business creation — based on three equally-weighted factors — rose to an index of 0.38 in 2016. It’s the…
Read MoreWhile still under construction, Kansas City’s soon-to-be largest coworking studio made its public debut with the visit of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. A Democrat from De Soto, Mo., Nixon on Tuesday toured North Kansas City-based iWerx, a massive 33,000-square-feet coworking studio that plans to be open for business in September. iWerx also will house a…
Read MoreThe results are in for Digital Sandbox KC — and they look good. The business incubator on Wednesday unveiled its most recent statistics on the program’s impact in Kansas City. Launched in early 2013, the program provides up to $25,000 in non-dilutive grants to area, early-stage entrepreneurs for specific projects. Since inception about three years…
Read MoreStartland News is continuing its segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like MatchOn founder Garrett Gates — to share their stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Back MatchOn’s Indiegogo campaign here. Who are you? Garrett Gates, founder and CEO of MatchOn.…
Read MoreWith aggressive goals in mind, Techweek Kansas City is ramping up excitement for its second-annual festival of innovation and entrepreneurship in the City of Fountains. The national tech conference and media firm hosted a countdown party Monday in downtown Kansas City in which Techweek CEO Amanda Signorelli said she hopes to top the festival’s inaugural…
Read More

