Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Kansas City near last place among startup hubs for digital economy readiness
Kansas City’s poor performance in attracting talent and its limited access to investment capital puts it at a disadvantage for the forthcoming digital economy, a recent study found. The national “Innovation That Matters” study analyzed 25 large startup hubs’ readiness for the digital economy, noting that Kansas City has room for significant improvement with its…
Swappa re-homes millions worth of smartphones
About 90 million Americans say they swap out their smartphone every two years, according to a 2015 Gallup study. That means every day about 123,000 used smartphones either find a new owner or a dark home in a drawer, frittering away their value. But one Kansas City startup is already helping thousands of used-smartphone owners…
Kansas City streetcar kickoff syncs with Smart City launch
It’s poised to be a momentous week for Kansas City infrastructure. In addition to the Friday launch of the much-anticipated Kansas City streetcar line, the City of Fountains has officially kicked off operations of its smart city framework. The $15.7 million public-private project aims to transform Kansas City’s downtown into a living lab of Wi-Fi…
Integrated Roadways smart pavement kicks ‘dumb roads’ to the curb
The future of smart infrastructure appears to be budding in the City of Fountains. Kansas City-based Integrated Roadways recently secured a U.S. patent for its “smart pavement” that transforms humdrum roads into the network for the mobile Internet of Things. The smart pavement system features embedded components that provide connected cars wireless connectivity on roads,…
Local firm JobShakers scores Mid-America Angel dollars
JobShakers, a tech startup offering employee referral software, recently raised local capital to fuel its development and sales channels. The Shawnee Mission-based company announced Thursday that it closed on a $265,000 seed investment from the Mid-America Angels Investment Network. The new injection of funds brings JobShakers’ total amount raised to $465,000. “Having completed several months of…
Happy birthday! Startland recalls 10 memorable entrepreneurial stories
It’s been a year since Startland News spread its journalistic wings. And that presents us an opportunity to reflect on the flood of stories that Kansas City stirred up in the last 12 months. We’ve published more than 400 stories in the last 365 days. Although they detail a myriad of subjects in on the…
Report: Missouri boasts three, top-20 startup cities
Kansas City is a top-20 destination to start a business, according to a recent WalletHub report. A study released Monday by the personal finance website ranked the City of Fountains as the No. 16 best city to launch a business. WalletHub compared the relative startup opportunities in the 150 most populated U.S. cities., looking at metrics such…
Bipartisan support sends Kansas’ angel tax credits to governor’s desk
After months of lobbying Kansas lawmakers, Kansas City area entrepreneurs are celebrating a legislative victory Monday that will extend a popular tax credit program for five more years. While now awaiting Gov. Sam Brownback’s signature, Kansas Senate Bill 149 will extend the life of the Angel Investor Tax Credits program through 2021. The $6 million…
Mobility Designed to ‘bottle lightning’ from viral video success
The international spotlight is shining bright on Mobility Designed, a Kansas City startup that’s snagged tens-of-millions of viewers interested in their futuristic crutches. Last week, Mobility Designed’s ergonomic crutch was featured in a Tech Insider video that’s now attracted more than 38 million views around the world. That particular video has now been re-edited and…
The Collective Funds targets Kansas City startups with $10M
The Collective Funds — a new venture capital group in Kansas City — will be exclusively targeting early-stage firms in the area starting as early as this summer. Led by four Kansas City entrepreneurs, the $10 million fund aims to fill an area funding gap as well as inspire a cultural shift among…