Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Shawnee native sells another startup for over $1B with GM deal
General Motors is hoping to become the leader of self-driving car technology with the gargantuan acquisition of Cruise Automation, whose founder has a local tie. GM announced on March 11 that it purchased Cruise for more than $1 billion in a move that aims to accelerate the development of GM’s autonomous vehicle tech. Cruise…
Kansas’ angel tax credits score first victory but hurdles remain
A bill extending Kansas’ popular Angel Investor Tax Credits scored its first victory Thursday, but legislators must make quick work of the measure if the program is to survive. The Kansas House Committee on Taxation unanimously approved a measure to continue the program, which offers accredited investors a tax credit of up to $50,000 on…
Kansas City creativity sticks out among the weirdest in Austin
At the tech and innovation conference South by Southwest Interactive, it’s as easy for companies to blend in as the flyers littering the streets of Austin. But amid the sea of commercial chaos — where hundreds of companies big and small fiercely fight for the most fleeting of interactions — Kansas City stood towering like the Liberty…
Listen to Startland’s bonkers SXSW experience
Virtual reality, smart cities and a whole lot of habaneros. There was more to Startland’s adventure to Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest — but those three items were certainly some memorable highlights. The Startland team spent five nights in Austin, taking in the insanity that is SXSW. We saw a ton of incredible technology — virtual…
Kansas City named a finalist for $50M award at SXSW
Austin, Texas — Kansas City is a finalist for a $50 million award that could transform its transportation system. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx announced on Saturday at South by Southwest that the City of Fountains was among seven finalists in the “Beyond Traffic, Smart City Challenge.” The challenge aims to help mid-sized cities…
Startland News hits the road to SXSW
Load up the clown car — Startland is going down south. Kansas City’s source for entrepreneurial and tech news is venturing to arguably the nation’s top conference for innovative ideas: South-by-Southwest Interactive. The Startland team has a jam-packed schedule while at SXSW, mingling with techies, early-adopters and thousands of Austonians. Make sure you follow along on…
Titans of Kansas City tech combine forces for talent creation
Kansas City isn’t unique in its high demand for talented techies. But perhaps what is setting the area apart is its collaborative approach to creating, recruiting and retaining tech talent in the Kansas City metro. Dozens of area tech companies engaged in a panel discussion Wednesday on practical steps that companies can take to win…
Sprint Mentor Network offering a leg up to startup founders
From newbies to seasoned veterans, each and every entrepreneur can benefit from a mentor. That’s why the Sprint Accelerator is offering Kansas City-area innovators the opportunity to tap its growing Mentor Network program. Now welcoming its fourth class, the free program connects entrepreneurs and corporate executives as part of a six-month learning experience that aims…
Kansas City’s Smart City taking shape with kiosks’ arrival
The first physical elements of Kansas City’s Smart City project have sprung up in downtown. On Monday morning, the City of Kansas City, Mo. installed two digital kiosks on the 1300 block of Grand Boulevard. The seven-foot-tall, touchscreen kiosks — only two of 25 total — will provide users details on city services and real-time information…
PresentR taps the Kinect to boost public-speaking skills
A Kansas City startup is plugging into popular gaming technology to improve users’ public speaking skills. Founded by Tim Wikstrom, PresentR taps Microsoft’s Kinect to analyze a presentation, scrutinizing everything from poor posture to counting how many times you say “um.” Founded in 2013, PresentR’s tech evaluates a user’s eye contact, gestures, voice and posture to…