Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Kansas kicks off effort to increase high-speed Internet for schools
The Sunflower State it planning to boost Internet speeds in its public schools. The State of Kansas on Tuesday announced a partnership with San Francisco-based nonprofit EducationSuperHighway to increase school districts’ access to affordable, high-speed broadband. At no cost, the organization will help districts with IT support and data analysis to help upgrade the schools’…
Local entrepreneurs prompt court to hit pause on Kansas ‘patent troll’ rules
A U.S. District Court of Kansas is collecting more public input on proposed legal rule changes after area entrepreneurs expressed concerns that the measures could make the area a haven for “patent trolls.” Patent trolls are non-practicing entities that purchase broadly defined patents with the intention to sue growing companies that are developing tangentially related…
mySidewalk CEO steps down, Stephen Hardy takes the helm
Nick Bowden, the former CEO of Kansas City tech firm mySidewalk, recently resigned from the firm he co-founded. Effective immediately, the company’s former COO, Stephen Hardy, will serve as CEO, Hardy told Startland News. Bowden will remain with the company as an advisor and will serve as a board member. “The company has my full…
Missouri, Israel join forces to boost tech firms
The Show Me State is working with the nation of Israel to create a co-investment agreement that aims to enhance their respective tech sectors. Missouri and Israel recently signed an agreement that will foster a relationship between the Missouri Technology Corporation and Israel Innovation Authority. The deal aims to advance opportunities for new tech projects…
Dontari Poe: Veteran Kansas City Chief, rookie tech investor
Quarterbacks know the Kansas City Chiefs’ Dontarti Poe as the hulking 346-pound defensive lineman that’s planning to smash their offensive aspirations. But the tech community may want to acquaint themselves with Poe as a forward-thinking investor that is starting to evaluate deals around the nation. The two-time Pro Bowl selection recently invested in Lab Sensor…
PayIt lands ‘the Lou’ as a client for mobile payments
Government tech startup PayIt is working with the second-largest city in Missouri. The Kansas City-based company is now providing its mobile payment technology to the City of St. Louis, allowing its more than 300,000 residents to more easily pay property taxes via an app. Timing was apt for the partnership, as St. Louis’ property taxes…
Kauffman Foundation becomes key supporter of Startland News
I never thought I’d be here. Comfortable with a keyboard, coffee and notepad, I’ve always thought of myself solely as a journalist. After years writing about entrepreneurs, I never imaged that one day the strategies and struggles they shared would help me make sense of leading a new venture. Indeed, entrepreneurship is often glamorized. I’ll…
Kauffman Foundation announces winner of 1 in a Million contest
Kansas City’s reign atop the national 1 in a Million contest has ended. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced Wednesday that Anchoraged-based Pandere Shoes won the contest, beating out one local finalist and winning $25,000 in the process. The Grooming Project was the sole Kansas City firm left in the competition, which challenges 1 Million…
Lawrence drone tech firm navigates obstacle course to win national contest
A Lawrence-based firm that designs sensors and flight controllers to help drones fly more safely recently snagged an international award for its tech. Founded in 2015, Aerotenna won first prize at the Unmanned Traffic Management Preliminary Drone Sense & Avoid technology competition, earning it $12,000 and valuable exposure to industry experts. Aerotenna CEO Dr. Zongbo…
Take a tour of KC’s newest, largest coworking space: iWerx
Kansas City’s newest and largest coworking studio plans to celebrate its grand opening in style during Global Entrepreneurship Week. Based in North Kansas City, iWerx’s massive 33,000-square-feet facility is now welcoming tenants into its swanky new digs that feature an array of amenities, most notably access to its ridiculously fast 10-gigabit Internet. Built in 1929,…