Eight More Innovative Companies Selected for Assistance by Digital Sandbox KC
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (OCTOBER 22, 2013) — Eight more companies have joined the ranks of innovative Kansas City entrepreneurs selected for resources and assistance by Digital Sandbox KC. These companies will receive early-stage proof of concept support to help bring their ideas to commercialization.
“We continue to see creative and innovative ideas from Kansas City entrepreneurs,” said Jeff Shackelford, director of Digital Sandbox KC. “We are tracking toward our commitment to have our grant funds fully allocated by year’s end. We hope to be able to provide resources to as many as 15 more projects.”
The eight companies come from a variety of industries, including networks, big data, consumer applications, technology platforms, digital printing and data storage.
The companies are:
- Flyover Innovations LLC is a hardware/software startup company focusing on easy to use smart A/V and AV accessory products that work with smartphones.
- Handprint makes 3D printing simple for average people. The 3D modeling web application uses high quality curated templates and a step-by-step system to package each modeling process into an accessible experience for families and children.
- LightBridge has developed a proprietary technology that enables data storage to be securely distributed across multiple sites, saving customers money on their data storage needs.
- LittleHootz is a mobile application designed for busy parents to allow them to capture, create and share precious things their children say and do.
- Play-it Health has found a way to make taking medications and following medical regimes easier, and even fun, with the most comprehensive, innovative, and responsive adherence system to date.
- The ShotTracker system automatically tracks practice basketball shot attempts – makes and misses, distance tracking and more – providing players with real-time shooting statistics. Runners and bikers have long had this functionality and now it will be available to basketball and other sports.
- Venture 360 has developed a technology platform to assist private equity investors in evaluating, closing and tracking investments in order to facilitate a private market for trading these securities.
- XLRYNT Technologies develops proprietary programmable computer hardware products capable of bringing terabit speed solutions to Big Data.
Digital Sandbox KC provides proof-of-concept resources to support early-stage commercialization processes. Support is customized based on the unique needs of the project as well as the resources required to move the product or service forward. Projects will be “in the sandbox” only as long as needed to meet a defined commercialization plan.
To date, Digital Sandbox KC has touched more than 100 ideas and innovative startups in the Kansas City metro area. More than 25 companies have proof of concepts projects currently running in the Sandbox. Project support has included funding for application development, assistance with patent protection, FastTrac® business development classes, connections to industry, pitch development and Summer in the Sand informational sessions.
The program is accepting submissions on a rolling basis. For details on how to submit, go to www.digitalsandboxkc.com.
####
Digital Sandbox KC is an unprecedented partnership among private companies, universities, entrepreneurial support organizations and government agencies across the Kansas City region designed to spur the creation of high growth companies. Digital Sandbox KC provides proof of concept resources including market validation, prototyping and beta testing support for development of digital technologies within new and existing businesses. Initial funding came through a $1 million federal i6 Challenge Grant for a proof of concept center.
The Sandbox was developed by KCSourceLink through the collaboration of partners such as: corporate (Sprint, Hallmark, UMB, VML, Cerner, RareWire, SparkLabKC), academic (UMKC, University of Kansas), nonprofit (Enterprise Center of Johnson County; Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute; Union Station, Inc.; KCNext), public (Missouri Technology Corporation, Mayors’ Bistate Innovation Team, Economic Development Corp. of KC) and philanthropic (Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation).
Visit us at http://www.digitalsandboxkc.com/
