Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
‘No regrets’: KC startup Knoda closing its doors
Rather than lamenting the death of their company, a team of startup founders is drawing valuable lessons from their entrepreneurial experience and forging ahead. Kansas City-based Knoda — which created a social platform allowing users to make, track and rank various predictions — recently announced to users that it was going to shut down operations….
Sprint Accelerator opens applications, dons new name
Kansas City’s top business accelerator is now accepting applications for a wider applicant pool after a recent — albeit minimal — name change. The Sprint Mobile Accelerator — formerly the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator — lightened up its name to better reflect its broader focus on boosting mobile-centric startups. Led by Boulder-based Techstars, the accelerator…
Sherry Turner talks diversity, funding landscape
There are few people in Kansas City that have worked harder than Sherry Turner to increase women’s engagement in entrepreneurship. Founder of OneKC for Women, Turner works to help women in the area find jobs, start businesses, get financing or invest in other businesses through a variety of organizations. After years leading large corporate teams,…
Drones, fashion, parties, more in Techweek queue
Techweek Kansas City released its full schedule Wednesday, revealing a jam-packed agenda with a variety of tech-oriented events to connect and inspire. The tech conference — which will be in Kansas City from Sept. 14 to Sept. 19 — will feature more than 40 events around the Kansas City area. Ranging from chats on drones…
KC entrepreneurs’ mobile game snags limelight
A year-and-a-half of tech toiling is paying dividends for a pair of Kansas City puzzle-makers whose mobile game is now surging in popularity. Luke Lisi and Kevin Bradford spent roughly 18 months designing and testing their game, The Guides, which was recently featured on the Apple Store. The Apple nod boosted daily downloads by 300…
After Apple Watch snafu, Niall gifts Royals’ Yost a timepiece
Stories of Kansas City Royals fans’ kindness during Major League Baseball’s 2014 playoffs cemented the faithful base as one rich in hospitality and warmth. So what happened when the MLB banned Royals manager Ned Yost from wearing his Apple Watch in the dugout last week? Yost’s hometown fans stepped to the plate in his aid….
Claure, Bloch, Helzberg to discuss the entrepreneurial ‘grind’
About 90 percent of startups fail. And those that don’t must toil to walk the path of success. That grind to prosperity will be the subject of discussion during a speaking series that will feature titans of Kansas City entrepreneurship. Kansas City’s Startup Grind — a program funded by Google for Entrepreneurs — aims to…
Pop Bookings nearing seed round goal
Kansas City-based Pop Bookings has snagged $150,000 of its seed round that will boost development and marketing of its online event-staffing platform. The company ultimately hopes to push its round to $250,000 before closing, Pop Bookings CEO Erika Klotz said. A recent graduate of business accelerator SparkLabKC, Pop Bookings opened its round in April at $250,000, with…
ECJC president to become Kansas commerce secretary
George Hansen, president and CEO of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County (ECJC), is moving on to serve the Sunflower State in a broader capacity. Hansen, who was appointed to lead the ECJC in June of 2013, will serve as Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s Secretary of Commerce. The ECJC is a non-profit venture development organization…
LaunchKC cuts applicant field to 100 grant finalists
An international grant competition that will welcome 10 new tech firms to Kansas City has cut a few hundred companies from its field of applicants. LaunchKC — which aims to attract 10 tech firms to relocate to KC with $50,000 grants — notified 100 finalists of the competition on Wednesday via an email. Judges identified…