Bobby Burch
Recent Articles by Bobby Burch
Kauffman Foundation rolls out $1.2M microlending program to help underserved entrepreneurs
Amid a swarm of 160 events as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced a new microlending program to spur investment in underserved entrepreneurs. In partnership with four microfinance lenders, the foundation issued a series of grants totaling $1.2 million that a will change the way the nonprofit microlenders capitalize their…
Procrastinating? Eat the frog, don’t chase the squirrels
On the metal wall in front of my desk, I’ve magnetically fastened a famous recommendation from Mark Twain. “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day,” the humorist from Missouri wrote. Though it can become an aspiration rather than a rule,…
The Jam KC offers space for musicians to get loud, turn up
In a small, Midtown Kansas City room brimming with musicians and their instruments, Allen Monroe peers over his 1963 Hammond B-3 organ at a handful of onlookers. A toothpick concealed by a thick grey mustache emerges as he smiles, preparing to deliver a gentle jab to the artists around him. “Remember, you don’t have to…
Video: Operation Breakthrough helping kiddos reach their full potential
Founded in 1971 by two nuns, Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer, Operation Breakthrough serves more than 450 children daily with a mission to provide a safe educational environment for children in poverty. The has adapted through the decades to meet the needs of Kansas City’s low-income community, Operation Breakthrough CEO Mary Esselman said. Implemented…
Pioneering KCI airport vote should help land top talent, startup leaders say
Capping a six-year journey fraught with turbulence, delays and political drama, voters overwhelmingly ratified plans to build a new $1.3 billion airport terminal, which would replace the existing Kansas City International Airport (KCI). “Kansas City has never been about being just mediocre,” said Michael Wilson, founder of luxury watch brand Niall and a frequent traveler…
Ag tech startup Farmobile raises $18M round for global expansion
Ag tech company Farmobile has reaped a substantial Series B funding round that positions the firm to rapidly accelerate across the world. The Overland Park-based company announced Friday that it raised $18.1 million to expand its data platform to help farmers mitigate risks and generate a revenue from the data they own. The round includes…
Face it: Zoloz tech lets you to pay with a smile
With a recently revealed new brand and broader strategic focus, Kansas City-based Zoloz is expanding its biometrics security offerings to include another unique human attribute: a user’s face. Formerly known as EyeVerify, Zoloz unveiled three new products — Zoloz Connect, Real ID and Smile — that CEO Toby Rush said will ensure trust and security…
Entrepreneur, startup advocate becomes new KC Chamber chair
A prominent Kansas City entrepreneur with some serious startup chops is now serving as the new chair of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Matt Condon, CEO of Bardavon Health Innovations and ARC Physical Therapy, was unanimously voted to serve at the helm of the chamber’s board of directors as its chairman. Condon, 42,…
EyeVerify explains why it changed name to Zoloz
More than two months after revealing a curious name change, EyeVerify is offering details behind its evolution to become “Zoloz.” The fast-growing biometrics tech firm announced in August that it was rebranding as Zoloz, but initially offered little information about the reason for or meaning behind the name change. Headquartered in downtown Kansas City, a…
Startup attorney Adrienne Haynes dishes four HR insights for startups
Editor’s note: This content was sponsored by Mid-Continent Public Library but independently produced by Startland News. Amid the chaos of building a business, one’s sanity and personal life aren’t the only things that can fall by the wayside. Having a strategy and process for human resource management frequently becomes an afterthought as founders add more…