Austin Barnes

Recent Articles by Austin Barnes

DivvyHQ raises $1.8M for marketing tech

June 30, 2015

Kansas City-based DivvyHQ is ready to hit the gas after its latest investment round that will more than double its team. The marketing tech firm recently closed on a $1.8 million Series A round to boost its staff headcount and marketing outreach. Investors in the round include Dallas-based venture capital firm DAN Fund, Dundee Venture…

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Mental health startup Start Talking goes mobile, scores $150K in tax credits

June 30, 2015

Depression affects about one out of every 10 Americans, including at one time Start Talking founder Mark Nolte. While a rough time in his life, Nolte’s struggle with depression in 2010 eventually led him to launch a venture that’s more easily connecting people with the help they need. Lenexa-based Start Talking offers patients a psychotherapy…

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Video: KC women in tech talk challenges, engagement

June 30, 2015

While Kansas City ranks as a top locale for ladies in technology, there’s still work to be done to create more gender diversity in the industry. This video — created in collaboration with Kansas City Public Television and videographer Brad Austin — explores some of the challenges that women face in a male-dominated field and how to engage more women…

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3 local businessmen named EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year

June 30, 2015

Three Kansas City area businesspeople recently snagged one of the most prestigious awards for entrepreneurs. EY announced Monday the winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 for the central Midwest, which included three businessmen from the Kansas City metro area. Those receiving the commendation included: Jody Brazil, CEO of FireMon; Matthew Perry, President of…

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Women flex their tech muscles at KC conference

June 29, 2015

Framed by a LEGO guitar and robotic vehicle, Rheanne Walton and Emma Howard anxiously review notes at their podium as dozens of technology experts await their pitch. The middle-school students are visiting the Kansas City Developers Conference to share the story of their all-girl robotics team, MindSTEM, and how it competes in the FIRST LEGO…

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New lab hopes to boost digital inclusion in Kansas City

June 29, 2015

A new computer lab in Northeast Kansas City hopes to serve as a tech oasis in a digital desert among low-income households. Google donated and opened the new lab Monday in Chouteau Court, furthering the company’s mission to help bridge the area’s digital divide through education about computers and Internet use. Rachel Hack Merlo, Google…

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Lantern scores big with Sporting Kansas City deal

June 26, 2015

Tech firm Lantern Software’s mobile app hit the right pitch with its hometown soccer team. The startup, located in Kansas City, Kan., recently partnered with Sporting Kansas City to offer its mobile concessions ordering platform. The deal, effective Saturday, will allow fans in Sporting KC’s Boulevard Members Club to order and pay for concessions on…

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Scarcity of women, parents in startups offers research opportunity

June 26, 2015

It’s no secret that — like any business — an entrepreneurial ecosystem is disadvantaged without a diverse set of players. But hurdles such as late night meetings and male-dominated culture at startups create barriers to entry for two specific groups: women and parents. That’s why researchers at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation are taking another…

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Gallery: Technologists converge at Kansas City conference

June 25, 2015
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KC, Chattanooga tap into gigabit speeds for film contest

June 24, 2015

Ready your cameras, Kansas City. You’re serving as lead videographer in a community film contest that engages creative types and leverages the area’s high-speed, gigabit Internet. Kansas City has partnered with the City of Chattanooga, Tenn., for the “Capture: A Community Filmmaking Project,” a 48-hour project calling on citizens and film professionals to create short,…

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