Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Silicon Valley accelerator 500 Startups invests in KC tech firm
A Kansas City firm planning to transform the world with its artificial intelligence tech recently landed in a highly-esteemed startup accelerator in Silicon Valley. Mycroft announced Wednesday that it’s in the latest cohort of 500 Startups, a global venture capital seed fund and startup accelerator that manages $200 million in assets and has invested in…
KCMO creates live-viewing platform of smart city data
Officially launched about nine months ago, the Kansas City Smart City initiative has produced as much enthusiasm as it has technological possibilities. The $15.7 million public-private project — which has transformed Kansas City’s downtown into a lab of Wi-Fi connectivity on and around the 2.2-mile streetcar line — is now further empowering citizens. The City…
Animal tech startup FitBark fetches huge Australian pet insurer
Animal tech firm FitBark is headed Down Under thanks to its landing of a big Australian partner. The Kansas City-based company announced that it’s partnered with PetSure, Australia’s largest pet insurance underwriter to help launch its wearable dog activity tracker to the Aussie market. PetSure opens FitBark up to 360,000 policyholders, a network of 22…
With investors clamoring for more, Blooom raises $9.15 million
One of the area’s top startups, finance tech firm Blooom has landed a significant round of financing to accelerate its online tool to boost users’ retirement savings. The firm announced Monday that it raised $9.15 million in an oversubscribed Series B round that features some behemoths in finance tech investing. The round was co-led by…
Celebrity Apprentice features Kansas City fitness startup OYO Fitness
A trio of celebrities were briefly among the sales staff for a surging fitness tech firm in Kansas City. In a recent episode of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, musician Boy George, basketball hall-of-famer Lisa Leslie and former Queer Eye for the Straight Guy expert Carson Kressley helped sell for Kansas City-based OYO Fitness. OYO founder Paul…
Cutting-edge facility comes to life at the Kansas City Art Institute
Artists have a knack for bearing ideas outside the realm of convention. But what happens when a creator is not only equipped with the latest technology to augment a medium, but cross-pollinates with other artists concocting complimentary creations? Who knows. And that’s exactly what the Kansas City Art Institute is excited to learn with its…
Greitens’ budget cuts ding Missouri, KC entrepreneurship efforts
A series of state budget cuts by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will directly impact Kansas City entrepreneurship. The sweeping $146.4 million rollback of the Show Me State’s budget will cut funds from both the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Free Enterprise Center and Missouri Technology Corporation. Greitens’ plan will cut about $3.3 million from the enterprise…
LaunchKC grants contest to offer $100K grand prize in 2017
Kansas City’s popular grants competition LaunchKC has raised the stakes for applicants in 2017. Instead of allocating $500,000 via 10 equally-sized grants, LaunchKC will dish out eight awards of $50,000 and one $100,000 grand prize. In 2016, LaunchKC drew more than 400 tech startup applicants for the second year in a row. Applications open on…
Photo gallery: Pipeline pitches and the Innovators gala
Pipeline Entrepreneurs celebrated 10 years in style Thursday at the Midland Theater. Check out this photo gallery of the organization’s pitch contest and gala. For more: Here’s a feature story on the gala. Here’s a news story on the award winners. Here’s more background on the organization and its leader, Joni Cobb.
Glitter and gratitude: Pipeline celebrates a decade of family in style
Glitz and glam; bold and gold; audacious and, more than ever, gracious. Each January, powerhouse businesspeople from around the Midwest venture to Kansas City to see if Pipeline Entrepreneurs can once again top its enchanting evening of entrepreneurial energy, now known as the Innovators. Hosted at the Midland Theater, the gala is a veritable smorgasbord…