Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Report: KC startups driving quality job creation across metro
Young Kansas City businesses are substantial job creators for the area, according to a recent report from entrepreneurial resource hub KCSourceLink. In its recent “We Create Jobs” report, KCSourceLink found that new firms that employed fewer than 20 workers created 16,325 new jobs in 2016. And for the past five years, startups created an average…
Yes, another total solar eclipse photo gallery
Like tens of thousands of people near the “path of totality,” the Kansas City Startup Foundation team trekked northward Monday to bask in the rarity of a total solar eclipse. As you can see from the photos, it was a tad cloudy at Smithville Lake — about 40 miles southeast of the crowds in St….
EyeVerify announces name change, new product offering in Asia
Nearly a year after being acquired by Ant Financial for more than $100 million, Kansas City-based EyeVerify wants its new vision reflected in a new name. The biometrics tech firm is changing its name from EyeVerify to Zoloz, EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush wrote in a recent company blog post. The company, which at this time…
Bobby Burch: Nonprofit change reinforces Startland News mission
In case you missed the flurry of headlines, Startland News is now a nonprofit. I wanted to take moment to share with readers what this change means for our future as mission-based storytellers. To explain, let’s look back at how Startland News evolved from initially just an idea into what it is today. Nearly three…
Kansas City Startup Foundation and CEED merge, receive $1M donation
Increasing its ongoing support of entrepreneurs, Affinity Worldwide has donated $1 million to the Kansas City Startup Foundation (KCSF), a nonprofit championing and connecting the local startup ecosystem. As part of the donation, Kansas City-based Affinity is also donating ownership of the Center for Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development (CEED) — the parent organization of Startland News…
JE Dunn spinout Site 1001 raises millions more from local investors
A Kansas City-based tech firm that’s created a smart buildings platform recently raised another significant batch of venture capital funding. Site 1001 — a technology spin out from Kansas City construction giant JE Dunn Construction — raised $6 million to boost its engineering, research and sales efforts. The round was led by JE Dunn Construction…
‘Software is eating the world,’ LaunchCode instructor appeals to aspiring techies
Ambitious techies in the Kansas City area might soon have an opportunity to realize their aspirations with a course coming soon from the nonprofit LaunchCode. Based in St. Louis but with an office in Kansas City, LaunchCode aims to grow the tech workforce of select communities by offering programs to educate those eyeing a career…
Rack Performance beefs up with seed investment from former Perceptive Software execs
Lenexa-based Rack Performance has raised a seed investment round that will fuel the exercise tech startup’s sales and development. Rack Performance has raised $300,000 from perceptiveEQUITY, a new early-stage investment firm that’s managed by three former executives at Lenexa-based Perceptive Software, which was purchased by Lexmark International for $280 million in 2010. Lexmark recently sold…
Report: Kansas City’s tech workforce is growing faster than most big cities
Techies around the nation have flocked to Kansas City at a rate faster than many major cities, including New York City, Chicago, San Diego and others according to a recent report. CBRE’s annual Tech Talent Report found that between 2011 and 2016 Kansas City’s tech workforce grew 39 percent, adding about 15,000 new tech staffers…
After 2014 departure, Lyft operations return to KCMO
Kansas Citians now have more ridesharing options than just Uber. After nearly a three year hiatus, the ride-sharing giant Lyft on Sunday re-launched its operations in Kansas City, Mo., including Kansas City International Airport. Lyft’s arrival represents more local competition among Uber and Lyft, and more choices for riders in Kansas City. Lyft already was…