The May meeting of Venture Fridays drew a crowd to bizperc’s event space.
Sprint is teaming up with Red Nova Labs for this month’s installment of Venture Fridays, part of an effort by the Overland Park, Kan.-based telecommunications giant to connect with some of Kansas City’s budding tech companies.
Venture Fridays, Red Nova Labs’ monthly entrepreneurial get-together, will take place from 5-7 p.m. Friday at the Winter Garden facility on Sprint’s Overland Park campus and feature one-minute pitches from representatives of more than a dozen area startups.
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The companies and organizations slated to participate include: Backly, DivvyHQ, EyeVerify, Fannect, Flood.FM, Homes for Hackers, IdleSmart, InCharge, Instin, Klink Mobile, Local Ruckus, Lucky Orange, Menufy, RFP365, Senior Concierge, Stackify and TeenJobz.
Red Nova Labs designed the event as an opportunity for people in the Kansas City startup community to share what they have been working on, discuss challenges and network. For this month’s host, it’s an opportunity to make those startups more familiar with its efforts to support entrepreneurship.
“At Sprint we believe in engaging with startups and innovators to bring the best emerging technologies and services to our customers,” Kevin McGinnis, Sprint’s vice president of product platforms and services, said in a release. “We are proud to help support our home-town entrepreneurs and developers and we look forward to engaging with some of the startups at the event on Friday.”
Pitches are scheduled to begin before 5:30 p.m. Space is limited, and guests are encouraged to register on the event’s Meetup page. For more on the startups scheduled to pitch on Friday, see the descriptions below, all courtesy of Red Nova Labs.
Backly
Backly is a platform that allows brands to reach out and ask for support by adding a Backly button on their website. If a visitor clicks the button, they become a backer, adding them to a community of supporters around that brand. Presented by Adam Coomes (co-founder).
DivvyHQ
DivvyHQ is the first spreadsheet-free editorial calendar application of its kind, making it possible to successfully execute demanding and complicated content marketing initiatives. DivvyHQ provides a cloud-based home base for everything required to make managing content easier. Within one app, users can corral content ideas, manage editorial teams and establish production process and deadlines. Presented by Jayme Thomason (CEO) and Brody Dorland (CMO).
EyeVerify
EyeVerify enables mobile users to authorize transactions and access information in a manner that is secure, scalable, and convenient. It does so through a patented technique called eye vein biometrics, which uses off-the-shelf cameras (including cell phones) to image and pattern match the blood vessels in the whites of the eye. Presented by Jeremy Paben (VP engineering).
Fannect
Fannect is a new mobile app/social network that allows sports fans to compete to be the best fan of their team or university, show that their team or school has a better collective fan base than others and get real rewards for doing it. Presented by Hunter Browning (co-founder).
Fannect was created under the guidance of the Blue Valley CAPS program. The Center for Advanced Professional Studies gives high school students a hands-on opportunity to learn. It works with 240 area businesses to offer Blue Valley Juniors and Seniors professional tools and facilities. Students can choose from dozens of industries, including medicine, business, even video game design. Scott Kreshel will be in attendance to answer questions about CAPS.
Flood.FM
Digital touring for bands, the model is based on an online radio with a donation widget allowing new fans support non-labeled musicians. Presented by Josh Nelson (CEO) and team.
Flood.FM is a part of the BetaBlox seed accelerator program, where each startup team receives six months of 24/7 access to the BetaBlox facility and program. Ten companies are awarded at a time and then replaced with another ten companies after their award period is up. Services and amenities include access to investors, green office space and complimentary services. Weston Bergmann will be in attendance to answer questions about BetaBlox.
Homes for Hackers
The goal of Homes for Hackers is to further the business community in Kansas City by offering three months of rent-free, Google Fiber-connected startup space to entrepreneurs, provided by volunteer Kansas City homeowners. Presented by Benjamin Barreth (founder).
IdleSmart
IdleSmart is a patented product that reduces discretionary idle time in over-the-road semi-trucks. As the driver stops for the night, he or she will set the temperature on the IdleSmart device—similar to setting the thermostat in a house. Throughout the night the patented product will turn the engine on and off based on the ambient air temp to keep the cabin temp comfortable. IdleSmart reduces a truck’s idle time by 30-70% saving the owner money. Presented by Ryan Bennett (VP, product and market) and Jeff Lynch (president).
InCharge
InCharge aims to place free charging stations for mobile devices in public places (such as train stations or shopping centers) in developing countries like India where mobile phones are a way of life but charging opportunities are unpredictable—even at home. Presented by Bryan Richard (CEO).
Instin
Instin develops applications and websites for Students and Teachers. myHomework is an app for iPhone & Android devices and can also be synched to the user’s computer. Quickly tracks classes, homework and projects. Teachers.io is a place for teachers to organize classes, share with students, and connect with other teachers. Presented by Keith Entzeroth (Business in the front).
Klink Mobile
Klink Mobile unites mobile technology users from around the world so that they can share minutes and money instantly via their proprietary processing platform. Presented by Jesse Bishop (Founder).
Local Ruckus
Local Ruckus is the local source for events everywhere. The site was relaunched in July, and a new mobile site was announced in August. They’ve recently introduced an “Add to Calendar” feature and will be rolling out their social media manager for business to promote events in the coming weeks. Presented by Adam Arredondo (Founder and CEO).
Lucky Orange
A real time web analytics suite that allows users to see how their customers are using their website. Includes features such as visitor browsing recordings, live chat, heat maps, and polling. Presented by Brian Gruber (Owner, Founder).
Menufy
Menufy builds and hosts e-commerce websites that are customized around a restaurant’s brand identity. Menufy aims to increase to-go and delivery order volume while lowering transactional overhead for restaurants. Presented by Ashishh Desai (Account Executive).
RFP365
RFP365 is a web-based platform designed to facilitate the entire Request-for-Proposal (RFP) process. The application benefits both issuers and responders with time saving features, configurable workflow, and insightful analytics. RFP365 provides procurement and business development teams real-time reporting and knowledge management features in a collaborative environment. Presented by Stuart Ludlow and David Hulson (Co-Founders).
RFP356 is a part of the eScholars program. The UMKC Bloch School of Management Entrepreneurship Scholars Program is a community-wide program designed to prepare promising entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to launch world-class ventures upon graduation. The mission of the program is to accelerate the formation of scalable, sustainable ventures that have greater potential to succeed. Tom Boozer will be in attendance to answer questions about eScholars.
Senior Concierge
Crowdsourced personal assistants for senior citizens bridge the gap between independent living and senior citizen / assisted living homes. Presented by Hannah Rues (CEO).
Senior Concierge is a part of the BetaBlox seed accelerator program, described above.
Stackify
Stackify provides developers safe and secure access to their applications, servers, and databases. Most developers have no access at all to production servers which makes application support very difficult. Stackify solves this problem. Now developers can do simple things like look at log files, config files, restart applications and much, much more. Stackify is expanding the definition of DevOps. Presented by Craig Ferril (COO).
TeenJobz
TeenJobz provides a comprehensive online platform that matches teenagers with employment opportunities in their local area. TeenJobz is focused on centralizing and simplifying the existing market for teen employment. Presented by Chris Dinitto (Founder).
TeenJobz was created under the guidance of the Blue Valley CAPS program, described above.
Credits: Photo from meetup.com.
