Startups

  • What did Hip Pocket’s Mark Zmarzly think of Startup Voodoo?

    What did Hip Pocket’s Mark Zmarzly think of Startup Voodoo?

    SPN: You have done articles with SPN before, but for any new readers, what is Hip Pocket? MZ: We help banks and credit unions engage any online or mobile visitor in a consultative conversation that relies on both social influence and personalized consultation. The end goal is to generate a mortgage or retirement lead. The…

  • Coinplay.io offers indie game bundles for your BitCoin

    Coinplay.io offers indie game bundles for your BitCoin

    Kansas City based digital game store Coinplay.io has launched game bundles to help developers sell more copies of their games. In March, Coinplay.io launched a brand new website ahead of their demo day pitch at BetaBlox, a Kansas City ­based startup incubator. At the event, Shane Park, CEO and co-­founder of Coinplay.io, explained to a combined audience of…

  • How SquareOffs connects Kansas City to New York City

    How SquareOffs connects Kansas City to New York City

    Though SquareOffs’ mission may be about choosing one side over another, picking two sides is an asset when it comes to location, as the company operates in both Kansas City and New York. Have you ever been part of a debate where you were so convinced your point of view was right, but didn’t feel you…

  • How will Hudl’s new 7-story HQ fit into Lincoln’s Haymarket?

    How will Hudl’s new 7-story HQ fit into Lincoln’s Haymarket?

    The first phase of Hudl’s new Lincoln headquarters development passed inspection by two city committees yesterday afternoon. With one opponent and a couple of abstentions, Lincoln’s Urban Design Committee and Historic Preservation Commission voted to recommend approval of an exception to Haymarket building height restrictions. The exception will allow Hudl to build a 7-story structure that…

  • This man created Juristat to predict the future of patents

    This man created Juristat to predict the future of patents

    Juristat is using big data to predict the future… at least for your patent application. The Software as a Service (SaaS) company allows users to plot their chance of success in all aspects of the patent application process. Among the many features, Juristat can tell an attorney the number of allowed (approved), pending and abandoned patent…

  • Taylor Martinez wants to change your life with his new social app Journey

    Taylor Martinez wants to change your life with his new social app Journey

    Taylor Martinez, former quarterback for the University of Nebraska, has released a new “positive social network” app called Journey, which allows users with disabilities, disorders and chronic diseases to encourage each other and seek advice. Martinez says that he was inspired to create the app after his famous touchdown experience with Jack Hoffman, a boy with pediatric brain…

  • Volano’s Rod Smith and Don Stavneak: “Don’t undervalue your product”

    Volano’s Rod Smith and Don Stavneak: “Don’t undervalue your product”

    In 2007, Rod Smith and Don Stavneak started Volano Solutions, a custom software development company. In 2012, they developed their first stand-alone product, Steelwool. They learned a lot from the experience. “One of the lessons we learned with Steelwool is that if you undervalue your product, people won’t see it for what it’s worth,” said…

  • FarmBright’s Steve Tippery on the future of AgTech

    FarmBright’s Steve Tippery on the future of AgTech

    Steve Tippery started FarmBright (formerly IntelliFarm) in 2012. FarmBright uses data to make more intelligent agricultural machines. Tippery has nearly 20 years of experience in product development for agriculture machinery. His company is currently in the NMotion startup accelerator in Lincoln, Nebraska. SPN spoke with Tippery at EntreFEST in Iowa City, Iowa. SPN: What are some…

  • My Online Camp plays “matchmaker” for kids and events with Ryzer

    My Online Camp plays “matchmaker” for kids and events with Ryzer

    When Andy Priestley co-founded My Online Camp in 2006, he was motivated by the opportunity to combine his enthusiasm for sports and a love of technology. This year My Online Camp surpassed a total of 1 million registrations. Now Priestley is taking the Ames, Iowa, company to the next level with the launch of Ryzer…

  • How Benaissance successfully navigated Obamacare

    How Benaissance successfully navigated Obamacare

    In fall of 2009, John Jenkins and Mark Waterstraat were anxiously watching the Affordable Care Act debate unfold, knowing it could potentially sink their company. Jenkins and Waterstraat had created Benaissance in 2006 around processing COBRA-compliant insurance payments for employers. (COBRA allows employees leaving a company to remain on their company’s health plan for a period of time.)…