Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
3 local startups advance in national pitch bout
Three startups from Kansas are among the semifinalists in a competition to snag $10,000 from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Kauffman Foundation’s One in a Million contest announced Wednesday 15 semifinalists from 12 states. Semifinalists will travel to Kansas City during Global Entrepreneurship Week for a chance to become one of five finalists for…
KC’s ‘growth and excitement’ attracts Phoenix tech firm
Give yourselves a pat on the back, Kansas City techies. The Kansas City tech community has once again enticed an out-of-state firm to expand to the City of Fountains. Phoenix-based cloud computing company Inspire Data Solutions recently opened a downtown Kansas City office in hopes of tapping into the area’s burgeoning tech community. A former Kansas…
KU entrepreneurship program nabs award
The University of Kansas’ entrepreneurial education program recently earned a national award. The University Economic Development Association awarded the Entrepreneurs@KU program its “Award of Excellence in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.” The commendation recognizes programs that accelerate economic development by supporting startups, high-growth companies and clusters within a region, and converting talent into wealth through innovation and…
New national CAPS Network grows from local program
The Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies is helping create a national consortium that will band together schools to boost an innovative education model. Blue Valley CAPS executive director Corey Mohn said that his program often receives interest from other schools to learn about its curriculum, which pushes students to collaborate with businesses and other professionals in…
Report: Kansas City is ‘meh’ for millennial entrepreneurs
A recent survey found that young entrepreneurs view Kansas City as a rather pedestrian locale to launch a business. Millennial entrepreneurs ranked Kansas City as the 30th best city to start a business, according to a Thumbtack survey of about 3,700 entrepreneurs aged 34 and under. Thumbtack, which created a marketplace that connects professional service…
90 on the Clock with FitBark
90 on the Clock with FitBark By John McGrath, KCPT, and Bobby Burch, Startland News Ed’s Note: Flatland and Startland News have partnered to highlight Kansas City’s innovators and entrepreneurs, all in 90 seconds. This is the second episode in the five-part series. As the mecca of animal health, the Kansas City metro accounts for a whopping…
KC STEM Alliance, UMKC earn $2.5M grant
A multi-million dollar grant will aim to boost diversity in Kansas City’s healthcare workforce. KC STEM Alliance and the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies recently received a $2.5 million grant. The funds will create KC HealthTracks to introduce more low-income and minority students to healthcare careers. KC STEM Alliance works to bolster area science,…
Summer fundin’ — it happened so fast
Kansas City startups snagged a load of capital over the summer. Often earmarked for product development, hiring or both, the funds represent new injections of capital that startups hope will boost their businesses to become the next big thing out of Kansas City. In total, 23 startups raised more than $56.8 million, which is not…
90 on the Clock: Rawxies’ vegan treats
90 on the Clock: Rawxies’ vegan treats By John McGrath, KCPT, and Bobby Burch, Startland News Ed’s Note: Flatland and Startland News have partnered to highlight Kansas City’s innovators and entrepreneurs, all in 90 seconds. This is the second episode in the five-part series. Rawxies founder Callie England may best be defined by her tenacity. England, who…
Meet the 10 startup winners of LaunchKC’s $50K
LaunchKC announced the winners of 10, $50,000 grants Friday during a celebration at the inaugural Techweek Kansas City conference. More than 40 judges evaluated pitches from 20 contest finalists, who pitched their companies Friday morning at Union Station before a crowd of about 100 people. LaunchKC kicked off in February and nabbed nearly 500 total applicants…