UMKC Innovation Center

High-profile Digital Sandbox KC funding program gets new leader: a veteran Austin tech founder

Kansas City already has all the ingredients a startup needs to grow, said Jeff Zhao, expressing excitement about combining his expertise in technology commercialization with existing local resources.

Just funded: Meet 6 new Sandbox startups poised to impact digital health, AI innovation

A fresh round of novel technology concepts — ranging from deterring AI-powered surveillance to supporting families raising autistic children — are among the latest to earn proof-of-concept backing from Digital Sandbox KC.

KCSourceLink expands bilingual entrepreneur-focused support, adding two more Community Navigators

A network of “Community Navigators” is extending resources deeper into Kansas City’s entrepreneur community, KCSourceLink announced Friday, detailing the hiring of Citlali Valdez and Racquel Rodriguez to its months-old connectivity program. “We are thrilled to welcome these experienced team members,” said Becca Castro, senior director of regional ecosystem development at the UMKC Innovation Center, which…

Just funded: Digital Sandbox KC drops the hook for three more emerging tech startups

From optimizing trucking logistics to revolutionizing peer-to-peer recommendations and streamlining compliance with AI, the latest startups funded by Digital Sandbox KC are poised to make a significant impact in their industries, said Jill Meyer.  “We’ve been truly impressed by the expertise and passion these founders bring to the table,” said Meyer, senior director of Technology…

GEWKC just launched its 2024 lineup; Here are three of the can’t-miss entrepreneur events

Inspiration — and top honors — are on the calendar this fall as registration launches for Kansas City’s busiest week in entrepreneurship. Among the headline events for the connection-packed summit: two grants competitions and a new-to-GEW celebration of Kansas City innovation. Organizers this week released the official schedule for the in-person Nov. 19-21 Global Entrepreneurship Week –…