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How one e-commerce entrepreneur found success in North Dakota
“Even if you have a successful enterprise, you’re going to have failures within it at times. That’s just a part of it,” says Scott Bintz, a serial entrepreneur from North Dakota. Bintz founded his first e-commerce platform in 1998 with RealTruck.com and saw it grow into the largest online retailer of pickup truck accessories. But […]
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Meet the Silicon Prairie Awards judges
The Silicon Prairie Awards are decided by 50% popular vote / 50% judges vote. This year we pulled together an impressive panel judges from across the region. From community builders to serial entrepreneurs to investors, these individuals embody the expansive Silicon Prairie vision that the Awards are all about. Lynn Allendorf, Managing Director at University […]
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Meet the 6 finalists for Technologist of the Year
As we get closer to the Silicon Prairie Awards on May 2, we still need your help to determine which individuals and companies will take home the trophies. We’re highlighting the finalists in each category so you can get to know the finalists a little bit better. To vote, visit our Silicon Prairie Awards website […]
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Public voting now open for the Silicon Prairie Awards
We are excited to announce the finalists for the 5th Silicon Prairie Awards! This year’s nominees represent students, educators, founders and innovators from across the Midwest. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be introducing you to the finalists in each category. You can also find brief descriptions of each finalist on the voting […]
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Feloh’s computer vision helps shoppers find the fastest line
A few years ago Jacob Richards and his mother were checking out at HyVee in Sioux Center, Iowa. “She said to me, ‘I wish I knew which line was shortest,’” said Richards. As an engineering student at Dordt College, Richards started working on the problem like an engineer. “I looked at thermal imaging. I looked into […]
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Written Apparel looks to rewrite the pencil skirt
When you think about fashion cities, places like New York, Paris and Milan probably spring to mind. Cedar Rapids? Not so much. But a fashion startup, Written Apparel is looking to unfold into a worldwide brand with the help of the Iowa Startup Accelerator. How Written works “Fashion has always been very important to me,” […]
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E-commerce company Spreetail wants “to make a dent in the universe”
With $138 million in revenue last year and a new brand identity, Lincoln-based Spreetail is on a hiring spree. Established in 2006 as VM Innovations and officially announcing their name change in late 2015, the hugely successful online retailer Spreetail says the rebranding was about recruitment and awareness. “Archrival did all of our branding and […]
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Neil Blumenthal: Everything at Warby Parker starts with our values
KANSAS CITY—Transparency continues to serve as one of Warby Parker’s core values. Blumenthal wanted to treat people the way he wanted to be treated.
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Nancy Lublin is empowering young people one company at a time
KANSAS CITY—If you look at her track record, it’s easy to see that Nancy Lublin’s entrepreneurial sweet spot is with not-for-profits. Lublin started Dress for Success in her tiny New York City apartment to give away professional attire for women coming out of shelters.
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Get to know the 15 Big Kansas City speakers
Next week, Big Kansas City will welcome a lineup of 15 speakers. Leaders from the tech, nonprofit, marketing, music, digital media and corporate sectors will fill two days with incredible insight for the conference’s attendees. With such a variety of backgrounds and all experiencing incredible success independently, this is surely one of the best lineups in Big Event history.