Austin Barnes
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Hello, my name is Larissa Uredi, and I have a genetic predisposition to workaholism. When I was a kid, my dad wasn’t home much. Growing his construction company demanded long hours in the office and most of his focus. It was his greatest passion and…
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For Trey Rhedrick, the alarm sounds at 5 a.m. He rises before the sun to work at Black & Veatch as a chemical engineer project manager. When finished at 5 p.m., Rhedrick conducts a couple meetings for his other gig before heading home to snarf down dinner. For the next six to eight hours —…
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A large California-based health care provider recently announced that it acquired Medicast, a graduate of the Kansas City-based Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator program. Providence St. Joseph Health purchased the firm for an undisclosed amount for its logistics and management platform that automates remote care delivery. In 2014, Medicast participated in the inaugural, three-month program at…
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Editor’s note: Jon Kohrs is the leader of two corporate startup teams, driving innovation and intrapreneurship at Damascus Edge. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. There are several established Kansas City companies “going startup.” Faced with startup competitors disrupting their industries, they’ve had to ask themselves how to remix the power of…
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In a move that will likely reignite lively discussions among government, businesses and residents, the City of Kansas City, Mo. is now considering changes to its ride-sharing regulations for companies like Uber. By directive of the Kansas City Council, city officials are reviewing rules drafted in April of 2015 that aim to ensure public safety…
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Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Every Wednesday morning in Kansas City and 91 other cities nationwide, one or two early-stage startups present a six-minute profile of their companies to a diverse audience, followed by 20 minutes of open Q&A. I recently reviewed 51 presentations delivered at 1 Million Cups…
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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 Sales Series: PAIN! When: July 28 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Where: Enterprise Center in Johnson County Tom Mulligan…
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Contrary to popular belief, tech jobs aren’t just for stereotypical “geeks” who enjoy crunching code. Pointworks Academy recently kicked off an accelerated learning program for user experience (UX) and digital management careers in Kansas City, Mo. It will offer practical training for individuals who are seeking careers in technology and help corporations looking to train…
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Tech accelerator Fishtech Labs on Thursday announced its first major investment in Foresite, an Overland Park-based managed security provider. Founded by serial entrepreneur Gary Fish, the Kansas City-based accelerator is investing $3 million in Foresite, which offers cyber security and compliance services for businesses. Unlike most managed service providers, Foresite uses a “white label” approach…
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Editor’s Note: John Fein recently announced his departure from Techstars to lead a new $7 million venture fund. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For the past three Techstars programs in Kansas City, the most important aspect of my job as managing director has been deciding which companies to invite into…
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