ShowMe SXSW Bus: The Ultimate Roadtrip for Midwest Entrepreneurs & Startups

SXSW has long been a mecca for music fans all over the world. In recent years, the festival has evolved into a place not only for music, but as a unique opportunity for startups to network, gain exposure and launch their careers. This all happens at the SXSW Interactive in Austin, TX, March 8-12, 2013. SXSW Interactive has become, in recent years, a premier place for businesses from all over the nation to converge and learn from one another. In keeping with the spirit of collaborative entrepreneurship, multiple Missouri sponsors have worked together to create the ShowMe SXSW bus.

We are excited to announce the ShowMe SXSW initiative. Largely underwritten from major sponsors like The Kauffman Foundation and The St. Louis Regional Chamber, and with additional contributions from Think Big Partners, the KU Center for Technology Commercialization, and the EDC of Kansas City, this endeavor will surely be one to remember.

The ShowMe SXSW bus is important and special for many reasons.  First, ShowMe SXSW provides access to transportation down to SXS—a gigantic community effort to support local startup and the incredible levels of innovation.  But perhaps the most important aspect of ShowMe SXSW provides young startups the chance to connect to a broad, culturally powerful audience, and learn from and bond with each other along the way. This is a collaborative effort aimed at helping innovative startups connect with each other and the world.

Two such startups are Click With Me Now from St. Louis and Phone2Action from Kansas City. Both companies have been nominated as two of the 48 internationally selected finalists for the 2013 SXSW Interactive Accelerator Award, a prestigious award that is often a launchpad for widespread cultural recognition. Receiving the award is akin to receiving an Oscar – a career is forever changed and the sky is the limit from then on out.

The ShowMe SXSW bus will depart from the Kauffman Foundation at 9 PM after a celebratory send-off for the entrepreneurs on March 7.

According to the official press release, other Missouri startups and companies traveling to Austin on the ShowMe SXSW bus include LightBridge, Local Ruckus, Stand Up For Good, Macquarie Energy, Integrated Roadways, Locker Partner, DC Ventures, The Icarus Agency, Clifton Labs, Neighbor.ly, TheHub.fm, Capital Innovators, Cultivation Capital, LockerDome, SNW Research, Crave Coffee House, Think Big Partners, KC Digital Drive, Every Child’s Hope, The App Tribe, JGrill Media, 4 First Names, GS Acoustics, H&R Block, Revvv.It,  Mano’s Gifts, SightDeckKC, RareWire, FoodEssentials, Openly Disruptive, Code for America, Digital Talent Agents and the KC Startup Network.

As you can see, ShowMe SXSW is an enormous opportunity for local startups to expand their reach via the SXSW audience, while simultaneously expanding inward their connection to other local startups. This will be a career-making event for some companies and Think Big Partners is thrilled to be a part of it.

If you’d like to learn more about ShowMe SXSW, follow on Twitter @startupmo or @showmesxsw. Bloggers will be chronicling the adventures on a Tumlbr as well as capturing the event in photos via Instagram.

InvestMidwest 2013 Extends Application Deadline

It's a well-known problem in the startup world: there are always too many ideas and not enough investors.  How can entrepreneurs improve their chances of getting funded in the year 2013?  What will it take?  Blood, sweat and tears?  A miracle?

Perhaps not.  Because this year, the 2013 InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum aims to provide access to capital for emerging, privately held companies and to promote greater entrepreneurship, business growth and expansion in the Midwest region.

InvestMidwest will take place on April 3-4 at Westin Kansas City (Crown Center).  The event will include 3 industry tracks including life sciences, IT/general business and food/ag/bioenergy.  There will be 10-minute presentations from 40-45 emerging business as well as an opportunity for individual meetings.

InvestMidwest recently extended its application deadline to January 18, 2013 so startups have over a week to submit their businesses.

Learn more about InvestMidwest and submit your own startup at www.investmidwestforum.com.

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig 

Path.To's Q&A with Founder of Dwolla Ben Milne

WRITTEN BY JILL FELSKA, FAIRY JOB MOTHER AT PATH.TO

At Path.To, we believe inspiration is key to doing your best work. Inspiration comes in all different shapes and sizes - often when you least expect it. Our team is most inspired by the innovation happening at startups across the country. We are constantly amazed by the unique and daring ways their teams are tackling problems, whether it's providing customers with a better, less expensive way to buy eyewear or solving the world's clean water crisis.

We kicked off our inspiration series to capture some of the insights, values and motivations of the startup teams we admire most. Whether talking design with Mig of 37signal or finding your "why" with Simon Sinek (coming in January), we always walk away from the interviews inspired and ready to better tackle our personal company mission of creating a happier workforce. We hope they'll provide fuel for your personal mission, as well. 

This month we sat down with Ben Milne, the founder of Dwolla, who talked with us about a range of ideas, from what makes an optimal job candidate to the best ways to establish a passionate company culture. We hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did.  

Read the full Q&A with Ben Milne of Dwolla here.  

For more inspiration, check back the first Monday of every month or sign up to have Path.To's series delivered straight to your inbox.

PlanetReuse Marketplace powered by InvenQuery Wins SXSW Eco Startup Showcase

Client of Kansas City-based startup accelerator and business incubator Think Big Partners, PlanetReuse Marketplace powered by InvenQuery, a technology  company that is making awareness of and access to reclaimed building materials nationwide simple, won the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase on October 4, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

In its second year, the SXSW Eco Conference is designed for professionals in business, government, non-profits and academia who want to look at environmental and sustainability issues through a fresh lens, develop new collaborations and contribute to innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the environment, the economy and civil society.  The SXSW Eco Conference consisted of exhibitions, speakers, the SXSW Eco Hackathon, special events, parties and the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase, the portion that PlanetReuse Marketplace won.  SXSW Eco took place just a week after The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce held its annual Leadership Exchange in Austin, Texas, providing an even greater collaboration with the booming tech hub.

The SXSW Eco Startup Showcase was a one-day venture capital pitch that spotlighted innovation and entrepreneurship in the clean tech space.  With over 100 applicants from around the world, only 14 had the opportunity to present a three-minute pitch to an expert panel of judges during the Startup Showcase in Austin.  The finals consisted of just three clean-tech startups, PlanetReuse Marketplace, NuMat Technologies and Zeta Communities, each presenting an eight-minute pitch to the same expert panel of judges.  The three startups were critiqued on product/service, industry/market validation, sustainability/social responsibility impact, business model, team and presentation.  At the final awards presentation, PlanetReuse Marketplace was named the first-ever winner of the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase.

“Winning the Startup Showcase increases our credibility,” said Nathan Benjamin, founder and partner of PlanetReuse. “It gives us recognition among our peers in the sustainability community and acts as a reputation-builder as we continue to spread the word about reuse, increase awareness and raise capital.”

The PlanetReuse team accepting their win at SXSW Eco.

Judges for the SXSW Eco Startup Showcase consisted of partners from a variety of venture capital firms including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Intel Corporation, Black Coral Capital, Austin Ventures, and Nth Power, providing probing questions to all semi-finalists about their business strategies and exposure to potential funding opportunities.

“Nathan and Willow have a great story,” said Mitchell Jacobson, director of the ATI Clean Energy Incubator and mentor/pitch coach to the PlanetReuse team. “They were up against some pretty complex companies.  But PlanetReuse’s SaaS model is simple.  They did a great job of explaining the size of the market.  Plus, no one else is doing this!”

“This award—from a panel of judges sophisticated about both clean tech and business investment— further validates our concept and market traction,” said Willow Lundgren, chief strategy officer for PlanetReuse Marketplace.  “We’ve enjoyed great momentum this year.”

In addition to its big win at SXSW Eco, PlanetReuse Marketplace began beta testing its technology in two reuse centers in Kansas City, MO this summer and continues to connect with reuse centers around the country.  The company is actively raising Series A funding, and has earned national recognition: a grant from the Chase/LivingSocial Mission: Small Business Program, a featured Social Enterprise in Bloomberg Businessweek, and success at Sustainable Brands 2012 innovation competition.

“This new [SXSW Eco] competition gives a first place prize of exposure and pride,” explains Jacobson.  “PlanetReuse Marketplace has been recognized as the best company out of 100 other applicants and that means a lot.  They can lean on this for further funding in the VC and clean-tech space.  There’s a lot of work to be done, but PlanetReuse Marketplace can certainly use this win to its benefit.”

Follow PlanetReuse! @PlanetReuse

Silicon Prairie News Awards 3 KC Startups with Golden Analog

Throw together 400+ entrepreneurial enthusiasts, 48 incredible startup nominees and one giant golden prairie dog and what do you get?  The Silicon Prairie Awards.

Last night, the first annual Silicon Prairie Awards honored those startups and Silicon Prairie members who have greatly impacted our Midwest community in a positive way.  With awards ranging from Mobile App of the Year, Startup Service Provider of the Year and the greatly-anticipated Startup of the Year, 12 lucky and talented nominees from Omaha, Kansas City and Des Moines walked away with a golden analog, appropriately shaped as SPN's mascot, a prairie dog.

I was lucky enough to trek across the heartland with two partners from Think Big to partake in the Silicon Prairie Awards.  And after we climbed the stairs of the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, glided across the orange carpet, got "paparazzied" by a SPN photographer and interviewed with the "Joan Rivers" of the event (Michael Stacy), we finally arrived at the Silicon Prairie Awards.

One thing is for sure--there was a lot of entrepreneurial energy in the room.  Lawyers were chatting with startups, sponsors were clinking glasses with executives and even David Cohen, CEO of TechStars, was making his way through the crowd.  It took everything in SPN's power to actually stop people from networking to sit down for the awards ceremony--obviously, we have a lot to talk about!

The awards ceremony was equally as impressive.  It was all smooth sailing for the SPN team as awards were given to startups, entrepreneurs and service providers from across the Silicon Prairie (namely Kansas City, Omaha and Des Moines).  Kansas City alone had 17 nominees, three of which went home with a golden analog.  Those teams and individuals awarded were Front Flip (Mobile App of the Year), Jake Johnson of Divshot (Startup Designer of the Year) and Greg Kratofil (Startup Service Provider of the Year).  The cities of Omaha and Lincoln seemed to walk away with the most analogs, five in total, and Des Moines claimed four (three of which were awarded to Dwolla!).  Don't worry Silicon Prairie, we love a little healthy competition!

After the awards ceremony, guests were invited to an after party in the Joslyn lobby which was sponsored by Lincoln startup Hudl.  Guests had the chance to walk down Startup Alley, a showcase of nine Silicon Prairie startups including eCreamery, MindMixer, Goodsmiths, Vestn, RAZ Mobile, Stackify, RareWire, Obsessive Software and Bulu Box.

Think Big would like to congratulate all winners and nominees at the 2012 Silicon Prairie Awards.  And another big congratulations to Silicon Prairie News for pulling off an event for anyone passionate about startups in the Midwest area!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Your mobile app is one out of 500,000. How will yours get found?

There are a lot of apps.  No one cares about yours.

Ever feel this way?  If you’re an app developer or mobile entrepreneur, chances are, you have.  And we don’t blame you.  There are 500,000+ different apps in the Apple Store alone.  Chances are, yours won’t stand out.

But Juggernaut Interactive, a creative technology lab based out of Omaha, Nebraska, is looking to change this mentality.  This young, Midwestern startup is dedicated to helping to bring new ideas into fully-functioning online communities...and getting people to care about them.

Founded and run by Brian Daniel and Tom Duggin, Juggernaut Interactive was launched after its two co-founders noticed an overwhelmingly broad opportunity in the mobile space one year ago.  Lucky for the two (and the entire Juggernaut team), the company is ahead of the app curve by about six months (which is huge in the app industry). 

“More things are moving to mobile,” says Brian Daniel, CEO of Juggernaut Interactive, “it’s an extremely compelling business.”

Juggernaut specializes in incubating product ideas (such as mobile apps) and prepping them for “production phase”.  As soon as an app is ready, it goes through a process run by Electric Human.  Electric Human is the space where Juggernaut designs innovative concepts and builds prototypes, platforms and services that they’re passionate about.

Juggernaut’s most recent creation is an app known as Due Date, which will be rolled out soon.  The app is a stork delivery game which will be featured in the Apple Store in just a matter of weeks.   According to Brian, Tom and Laurin Hogan, interactive producer at Juggernaut, the app is different from other mobile games in the market because it is nurturing rather than destructive.

But Juggernaut’s genius goes far beyond app game development.  The company, although only a year old, has helped build apps and other tech developments for national brands such as Werner Enterprises, Omaha Steaks, All State, Geico, Hard Rock, McDonald’s and more. 

Juggernaut Interactive, along with its Electric Human platform, hope to continue to grow in the mobile and app development space for other national brands.  Want to follow Juggernaut’s successes?  Follow Juggernaut online at http://juggernautinteractive.com/.  

Chicago Startup Kauzu Announces New Job Search App

Think Big's own Gigabit Challenge winner Kauzu is making exciting announcements about its newest initiatives, Kauzu Kono and Kauzu.Jobs.  

Mitch Schneider, CEO of Kauzu. 

Chicago social venture Kauzu launched its Kauzu.Jobs mobile application at the Charles Hayes Family Investment Center.  Kauzu has partnered with Centers for New Horizons to present the new product, a free job search application that pinpoints jobs by a user’s location, designed specifically for Chicago’s hardest-hit communities.

“Our communities have needed and continue to need more effective tools to find and secure jobs,” says Mitch Schneider, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Kauzu.  “Kauzu.Jobs is our latest tool that offers unique, integrated, and common sense functions for job seekers to be effective, and guess what?  It is free.”

Job seekers can access Kauzu.Jobs from any smart phone, be it iPhone, Android, or Windows tablet or computer--anything with a web browser. The program pinpoints the user’s location to find entry-level jobs such as retail and service opportunities in its immediate area. Finding jobs based on location is essential, because working nearby is critical to job seekers in many communities, as many can’t afford long commutes and often lack reliable transportation.

Kauzu’s marketing materials promise “Great Jobs, Right Around the Corner.”

Andre Kellum, Program Director for the Centers for New Horizons Workforce Development program, touts the immediate benefits Kauzu.Jobs gives job seekers.

“The Kauzu tool allows us to tap into a whole other experience for our ‘dual focus’ workforce development program model and will continue to solidify the skills sets needed for successful job placement services,” he says.  “We are proud to partner with Kauzu and be on the front lines of exposing technological enhancements to our customers."

At the product launch on August 15, 2012, two hundred at-risk youth and 19 employer partners—who recently completed the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program—witnessed a first-hand demonstration of Kauzu.Jobs. 

President and CEO of Center for New Horizons, Dr. Sokoni Karanja, sees the potential of Kauzu.Jobs helping families achieve Kujitegumea (self reliance). 

“Finding a job is an essential step in achieving that goal,” says Dr. Karanja.  “As always, we search for every opportunity to achieve our purpose, we thus partner with Kauzu as they create a new tool they believe will increase the likelihood that residents of Bronzeville are better able to locate and achieve employment.”

 “We are so thrilled to work with community leaders to get the most innovative mobile job app into the hands of the people who need it most,” adds Schneider.

The Chicago metropolitan area unemployment rate remains nearly 10 percent, nearly two percent above the national average.  In some demographic groups in particular, the unemployment rate is as high as 35 percent. 

Kauzu recently released Kono, a text-based application where a user can access the same job listings on basic cell phones. Small businesses can post job openings and opportunities to Kauzu’s system for free, saving money and reducing turnover by hiring employees with shorter commutes.  Kauzu is continually adding features to Kauzu.Jobs, linking to the Kauzu.Biz launch on August 28.

To learn more about Kauzu.Jobs and Kauzu Kono, please visit www.kauzu.com. 

About Kauzu:

Kauzu (kawz-ooh) is the Esperanto word for “cause” and reflects the company’s focus on creating social change by transforming how jobseekers and employers connect.  Kauzu was the 2012 winner of Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge “Born Global” Award in Kansas City, Missouri.  To learn more about Kauzu, please visit www.kauzu.com.

About Centers for New Horizons:

Centers for New Horizons’ mission is to develop the capacities of families to become self-reliant, to improve the quality of their lives and to participate in rebuilding their community.  The Center for New Horizons’ Workforce Development program is a “dual customer” program providing area employers with expertly matched job candidates and assists job seekers in qualifying for such jobs.  To learn more about Centers for New Horizons, please visit www.cnh.org.

Follow Kauzu! @Kauzu

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Midwest Startups We Love

Entrepreneurs, we’re proud of you! We want to encourage you to keep pushing the limits and reaching for your goals. To show our appreciation, we’ve made a list the Midwest’s most loved startup companies. Is your startup on the list?

Front Flip: Overland Park, KS

Front Flip helps your business engage with your customers. Learn who your customers are and track how many times they’re in your store. Interact with them through promotions and giveaways, and grow your customer base easily. Front Flip gives your business the tools to impress your customers and keep ‘em coming back for more!

Goodsmiths: Des Moines, IA

Think of a marketplace like Etsy. Goodsmiths is a place where you can buy unique, handmade items from jewelry to clothing to metal art. No more travelling to flea markets because there is something for everyone on this site.

Battle Sports Science: Omaha, NE

Battle Sports Science is a mission to make sports injuries a thing of the past. At Battle Sports Science, the company works tirelessly by researching new methods of safety.  The company then implements all findings into new products. These revolutionizing products are available for almost every sport. If you play the game, you need Battle Sports Science in your life!

Locusic: Des Moines, IA

Are you a music fan? Locusic makes it easier for you to discover new artists and listen to local music in your area. Listeners get free music from bands within 50 miles of where they live. Not only is it great for the fans, the local bands now have an opportunity for more exposure than ever! Talk about a win-win!

Oohly: Leawood, KS

Have you ever been watching a TV show and thought, “Hey, I want that!” Now, with Oohly, you don’t have to think it—you can do it! This new app connects to your TV and allows you to see what your favorite stars are wearing...and then you can purchase instantly! Yes, you can purchase more than just apparel; it’s compatible with tons of other products!

Divshot: Kansas City, MO

If you own a business, you know how important it is to have an online presence. And with the overwhelming use of smartphones, developing an app is almost necessary. Divshot has come up with a simple solution for those that aren’t so tech savvy. Divshot invented a way for the average person to build an app using HTML and CSS, without having to learn code! Pretty neat, we’d say!

Chirpify: Portland, OR

Twitter meets transactions; that’s Chirpify. You want to buy that song on your favorite artist’s Twitter page? Done! Just Tweet “Buy”. It’s as easy as that. You can even Tweet your friends money because they look nice today or because they helped you move—whatever the reason! It’s a social way to do business!

Leap2: Kansas City, KS

When you search something on Leap2, you get all the information. Web, images, location and social media all on one page—and it’s live! You can opt to receive notifications when something new is posted about the topic. It’s the ultimate tool to stay “in the know”.

Planet Reuse: Kansas City, MO

Want to do more for the environment? Planet Reuse can help! They make it easier to use salvaged materials in buildings. Planet Reuse is a brokerage firm that matches salvaged materials to those that need it for projects. They’re on a mission to reduce landfill waste, save money and time and save the planet in the process!

Spread the love—what Midwest startups are you pining for? 

iKC Answers KC's Question: How Do You Build a Startup in the Midwest?

Kansas City has that "something".  It's hard to put my finger on exactly what that "something" is...but one thing is for sure: it's there.  I was lucky enough to sit in on an iKC panel this morning called How to Build a Start and Stay in the Midwest, where 3 panelists and one moderator talked about what that "something" is and how we can improve upon the entrepreneurial scene, not only in Kansas City, but in the Midwest. 

Tom Boozer (UMKC), moderator of the panel, started the session by asking the following question: What makes us different than Boston's tech hub?

And what about Silicon Valley?

What about Austin?

These three cities have truly utilized their growing tech and entrepreneur scenes and have become brands.  Can Kansas City, the Midwest (or in an entrepreneurial scene, Silicon Prairie) do this as well?  Can our geographical location become a brand as well?

Panelists from some of Kansas City's most well-known startups including LiveOn, Front Flip and Farms Tech, seem to think so.

Some of the key take-aways I left this session with:

• Why do we go to Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin?  Startups go there for the money, the technology and the talent.  Does Kansas City have these 3 characteristics as well?  
• Kansas City's best entrepreneurial trait is its support of entrepreneurs in general.  According to Jason Tatge of Farms Tech, "Entrepreneur organizations in Kansas City get you around other people who are extraordinarily successful in this community.  There is not another city that provides advice like Kansas City does.  The people here are generous and willing to give."
• Kansas City is a great place to start a new business because of its cost of living.  The cost in other places (like Silicon Valley) is high compared to Kansas City.  Tom Boozer was correct when he said, "there are things you can do here that you can't there." 
• Silicon Valley is known for technology, so that's what you talk about when you're out and about in SF or San Jose.  But in SV, people are more honest about entrepreneurship too.  Here in Kansas City, everyone pretends like everything is perfect.  In the Valley, people talk about the problems that they're having.  Kansas City needs to become more open in saying that we are trying and that we may fail in a few areas.  "There is a beauty in entrepreneurship," said Jonathan Whistman of LiveOn.  "There are companies that are successful and those that fail.  We should be comfortable in telling people that we are struggling.  That happens in Silicon Valley; why can't we do it here and help one another with these problems?"
• The Front Flip panelist that filled in for Sean Beckner felt the same way: "When I put an investor hat on, I would turn away from someone who says that everything is under control.  You're fooling yourself!"

So what's missing in Kansas City?  According to the panel (and many opinions from the vocal audience):

• A roadmap for who to seek advice from 
• The willingness to exchange honest information
• Unstructured, unplanned conversations that tackle certain entrepreneurial problems
• Entrepreneur-focused classes (i.e. coding, development, etc.) in schools (from elementary to university) 

Stay tuned for more updates about what's going on at iKC!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

LiveOn (Among Other Startups) Head to St. Louis for InvestMidwest

What do you get when you put 300 attendees, 60 venture capital companies and 44 startup organizations under one roof in St. Louis, Missouri?  You get an entrepreneur's dream; you get InvestMidwest.

InvestMidwest showcases 44 companies representing 10 states across the flyover region in three different industry tracks including life sciences, technology and clean energy/sustainability.  This venture capital conference has helped to generate over $850 million of investments in the past 12 years.

One company in particular is looking forward to the InvestMidwest opportunity.  The startup has been making a splash in the entrepreneurial world with appearances and nominations at SXSW and at during the Think Big Field Trip to Silicon Valley.  The startup, known as LiveOn, is hoping to make an even bigger impact at InvestMidwest today.

"We are looking forward to attending the InvestMidwest Forum as an opportunity to meet potential investors as well as to mingle with other entrepreneurs," said Jonathan Whistman, founder of LiveOn.  "The Midwest continues to be an interesting place to build a business and these types of forums always help with creating a platform to connect like-minded people."

LiveOn hopes to take what they learned during the Think Big Field Trip and implement pitching strategies at the InvestMidwest Forum.

"We just recently returned from a trip to Silicon Valley to participate in a two startup showcases.  One was put on by Silicon Valley Bank and the other by Kansas City's Think Big Partners.  It will be interesting to see the differences in the investment environment from the coast to here in the Midwest," said Whistman.

All startups presenting at InvestMidwest must be located within the center corridor of the United States.  These companies must be seeking $1 million to $20 million in funding and must have revenue projections of $20 million within the first five years.

InvestMidwest will take place on April 4-5, 2012 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in St. Louis, Missouri.  To learn more, please visit https://www.investmidwestforum.com/.

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

5 Things You'll Gain at Startup Weekend KC

The smell of a new car, the crispness of a new dollar bill, the softness of a new pillow.  We can't deny it: we love newness.  After all, having something new makes us feel like we're creating a fresh start.  So why not surround yourself with complete newness on April 13th?  


We're talking about Startup Weekend Kansas City; the opportunity for you to start fresh on a new business idea!  


Startup Weekend is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate and empower individuals, teams and communities.  With this goal in mind, Startup Weekend puts together 54-hour events that focus on building a web or mobile application over the course of just one weekend.  And it's back this year for a fifth time in Kansas City on April 13, 2012. 


Join Think Big for Startup Weekend at Union Station in Kansas City...and gain all the newness you want: 


1.  New partners and connections: Entrepreneurs.  Developers.  Designers.  Marketers.  Product managers.  Startup enthusiasts.  Tech guys.  They’re all at Startup Weekend and they’re all anxious to meet you!  Startup Weekend not only provides you with the opportunity to make your startup dream come true, but it also gives you the networking opportunity that you need in order to grow your rolodex of experts and learn what others have to offer. 


2.  New ideas: You may be a hard worker, but you don't have quite the right ideas to launch a business of your own.  That's what Startup Weekend is for!  Startup Weekend will open your mind to new ideas out in the world and put you on the cutting-edge of entrepreneurship in Kansas City 


3.  New strategies: Startup Weekend is more than just a chance to launch a business—it’s a chance to expand your mind!  Startup Weekends are all about learning through the act of creating.  This event allows you to step outside of your comfort zone and work on a new platform, learn a new program, or just try something different.


4.  New perspectives: Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends as mentors and judges. Get some one-on-one time and gain new, high-level perspectives with the movers and shakers in Kansas City at this event!


5.  A new startup! After just 54 hours, you will have built and launched a new startup in Kansas City. How cool is that?


Register for Startup Weekend today.  Stop sitting and start doing!!   You never know what can happen when you Think Big at SUW. 


Follow Startup Weekend! @StartupWeekend
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Think Big Field Trip: At This Moment!

A few weeks ago, we announced the Think Big Field Trip: a three-day excursion with 10 of the Midwest's most promising startups to Silicon Valley.  While in the Valley, startups will have the opportunity to pitch at the Silicon Valley Bank Seed Showcase, present at the Think Big Showcase and meet one-on-one with investors from the Bay-area to talk numbers.

And this is all happening at this very moment.

The Think Big Field Trip is starting right now with the Silicon Valley Bank Seed Showcase at the Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park, California.  That means that at this very moment, one of the 10 Midwest startups is standing up in front of a large number of big-time, Silicon Valley investors.  That means that right now, Midwest entrepreneurship is making at name for itself out in the Valley.

Until 1:00PM (PST) today, the 10 selected Midwest entrepreneurs will continue to prepare, pitch and network with some of the most influential people in the startup world today.  Following the Silicon Valley Bank Seed Showcase, startups will be escorted to the Mozilla Foundation where they will learn about the WebFWD and Mozilla Ignite programs.  Then, these Midwestern startups have the chance to attend a meetup in Silicon Valley called the SF New Tech Spring Fling at Mighty.

Tomorrow won't slow down for these Field Trip companies either.  Think Big Partners has lined up a handful of investors from the Bay area to participate in the Think Big Showcase, where the startups have another chance to practice and pitch their business ideas.

On Friday, it all comes together.  The Field Trip companies are invited to schedule follow-up meetings with interested investors from the Bay area.

All the way from Kansas City: best of luck to our Field Trip startups!

Follow Think Big! @thinkbigKC
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Loud and Proud: Midwestern Startup Fans Cheer for AudioAnywhere

Don't get me wrong; I have always been and will always be a Kansas City Chiefs fan.  But this year, the Chiefs didn't give Kansas City much to cheer about.  Finishing the season with a 7-9 record crushed any dreams of reliving the long-lost Super Bowl Championship of 1970.  So, with football season put to rest, I was able to redirect my fanaticism from the football field to the Silicon Prairie startup scene where there are plenty of home-grown companies to cheer for.


Great Midwest startups like AudioAnywhere, Dwolla and Zaarly prove that great ideas can come from anywhere and you don't have to move your business to Silicon Valley to make your entrepreneurial dream come true.  In last month's blog poll, we asked you which Midwestern startup you were rootin' for and here are the results!

Silicon Prairie Startup Fan Favorites: 

1. AudioAnywhere
2. Dwolla & Zaarly 
3. Kauzu 
4. Front Flip, Kickanotch & VoterTide
5. LiveOn 

Congratulations to our first place winner, AudioAnywhere, for having FAN-tastic supporters cheering them on in their entrepreneurial endeavor! 

Follow Me @LauraGThinkBIG! 

The Future of the Media Industry (and What Kickanotch is Doing to Save It)

The statistics on Kickanotch's site don't lie:

Google reported $1 billion in mobile advertising revenue in 2010.

Mobile app revenues will triple compared to the year before.

In 5 years, a majority of people will access Internet only through mobile devices.

What does this mean?  It means that if your business isn't mobile, you may not get found.  And Kickanotch makes going mobile not only possible, but also easy.

Kickanotch, a Kansas City-based startup, is a software-as-a-service (SAAS) that allows the media to expand their audiences through mobile app creation and monetization.  You may have heard of hundreds of other companies that do what Kickanotch does, so how does the Midwest startup stand out from the rest?  In order to answer that, we need to focus less on what Kickanotch does and focus more on the problem that it solves.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Kickanotch's marketing manager, Gabe Barnes.  He explained that Kickanotch specializes in saving the media industry by helping them get mobile, fast.

"It's a dying industry," says Gabe.  "People are obviously gravitating now toward mobile.  Kickanotch can help media make the digital a friend as opposed to having to fight it every day."

About 14 months ago, Andy Lynn, founder and CEO of Kickanotch, was hired to find a mobile solution for a local Kansas City radio station.  After pinning down a solution, Andy found that a back-end system would be the best approach to take.  After extensive research and hefty development, Andy and his team created the viable product known as Kickanotch.

The previous paragraph makes it sound like Kickanotch was an overnight success.  But as all entrepreneurs know, it takes more than just a snap of the fingers and a couple of networking events in order to lock down funding, gain exposure and find steady clients.

Lucky for Kickanotch, the startup got a little help.  Andy worked closely with Mike Carter of Carter Broadcast Group and eventually locked down some funding.  Soon after, Kickanotch saw a $1.1 million investment from 42 Ventures out of Salt Lake City.  The Midwest startup continues to work on more deals for the future, as the company (and the industry's need for its existence) continues to grow.

"The hardest part of a startup company is the uncertainty," says Gabe of his day-to-day work life.  "We never know what the future will hold for us.  So, we just take it a day at a time...but as you know, there is never enough time in the day!"

But what about the best part?  "The best part of this company is seeing it be built from the ground up," he says.  "It's amazing to work with clients and to see how lit up they get when they realize how Kickanotch works."


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Kansas City Entrepreneur Cures Couch Potato Syndrome with Local Ruckus

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Facebook.  Twitter.  LinkedIn.  It's difficult to imagine a day without these social media sites. They help us connect with the world, unwind, and live our lives with a click of a mouse.  But could these social media sites actually be "bad for us"?

Perhaps.  Although social media promotes networking, connecting, staying in touch and getting involved, it also promotes one of the most enjoyable activities of all: laying on the couch.

Couch potatoes everywhere rejoice in the name of social media!  Now there is a way to never leave the home, yet still connect on a daily basis with friends, family and the community (and what's even better: you don't have to walk across the living room to dial the phone!).

But, as we all know, this is a problem.  Just because you're being "active" on Facebook doesn't mean you're maintaining great relationships with friends.  Just because you're tweeting twenty times a day doesn't mean you're contributing to community discussions.  Just because you've LinkedIn with five new people this week, doesn't mean you're making strong business connections.

Kansas City entrepreneur Adam Arredondo saw this as a huge problem...as well as a fantastic opportunity.

"I was annoyed with the amount of time I wasted on Facebook," says Adam.  "I was equally annoyed with the little interaction I had with my friends.  So, I decided to create something that changed that."

Cue Adam's creation of Local Ruckus.

"Local Ruckus is one place to find everything happening in the community," explains Adam of his business venture.  "It gives you a reason to get off the couch.  It is a technology to get people to interact in more active ways."

How so?

Local Ruckus posts and promotes local events going on in the community.  It displays events, live music, volunteer opportunities, food and drink specials and coupons.  It's Groupon meets community board meets happy hour meets volunteer organization. And it's the number one social network that fights against couch potato syndrome.

According the Adam, current CEO and founder of Local Ruckus, the online site does three different things:

1. It's a social media platform geared toward businesses and their content (rather than the individual such as Facebook or Twitter).
2. It gives a bigger voice to charity and volunteerism.
3. It gives a bigger voice to music, artists and smaller local businesses. 

But all in all, Local Ruckus is all about local discovery.

"Local Ruckus gives people the opportunity to find what they want, when they want it," says Adam.  "We're not reinventing the wheel here.  We're trying to open people's eyes to the things they don't know they're looking for."  

Currently, Local Ruckus is in Beta launch and is in undergoing the PRISM process with Kansas City's startup accelerator, Think Big Partners.  The site is also currently experimenting with the coupon and volunteer opportunity sections and is reaching out to the public to submit ideas to help give the site maximum impact (submit your idea now!).  

"I just want to have an impact on the community," says Adam.  "I want to create something that matters. I'm interested in these kind of opportunities and I love being able to capitalize on them."  

Adam has been through a lot of ups and downs in order to make his entrepreneurial dream a reality.  Learn more about Adam's Local Ruckus venture in the Q&A below:

How did you come up with the idea for Local Ruckus? 

"I ran Coffee News, a weekly event column for restaurants.  When running it, I realized I had to go to 12 different sites to find the information I was looking for.  It was ridiculous!  Then, it clicked.  That's when I saw the opportunity."

Why go into entrepreneurship in the first place?

"I never really had another thought other than to go into entrepreneurship.  The corporate world put a bad taste in my mouth.  I wanted that innovative, small business feel.  I wanted to go into something that I was motivated by.  In order to have that, I found out I had to do it on my own." 

What has been the hardest part about starting up Local Ruckus?

"It takes an unhealthy amount of confidence in yourself and in the idea.  You have gut checks all the time!  Also, entrepreneurship makes you come to financial realities.  That's a bit scary."

What about the best part?

"Getting launched and hiring our first employee...but it was also terrifying!  Also, I really enjoy the day-to-day conversations with our programmer.  It helps me learn how the product works and it helps me make my decisions."

What is one piece of advice you would give an entrepreneur?

"Don't half-ass anything.  Be 100% committed.  You can never research too much.  Don't jump into partnerships.  Product development is most important.  I guess that's more than one...haha."

How do you Think Big?

"That's the only way that I think!  I want to do something that has a major impact.  I think of things in nationally viable terms.  Success is a national product.  Kansas City is just a stepping stone for us."  

Follow Local Ruckus!  @LocalRuckusKC

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Identify, Highlight and Encourage Midwestern Entrepreneurship: Startup Kansas Launches Jan. 31, 2012

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Back in 2011, Scott Case, CEO of the Startup America Partnership, challenged the Midwest.  The challenge is for Silicon Prairie (Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa) to register more startups with the Startup American Partnership than those that are registered in California.  The challenge has been set to identify, highlight and encourage the entrepreneurs and startups that are building high-growth companies from the ground up right here in the Midwest.  The standings right now?  Silicon Prairie: 57.  California: 247. 

And now, on January 31, 2012 from 1:15-2:00PM, Startup Kansas will officially launch in order to strengthen the Startup Silicon Prairie initiative.  The event takes place at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library and invites entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, small businesses and startup companies to sit in and learn more about the Startup Kansas initiative in the Midwest.  Startup Kansas is also holding its firstplanning meeting on January 11 from 6:00-9:00PM.  At the meeting, the group will discuss the creation of a Topeka coworking space as well.

Initiated by the White House but operated as an independent, private-sector entity, the Startup America Partnership is dedicated to growing more resources for entrepreneurs in the areas of expertise, support services, talent, customers and capital.  The initiative has started with the creation of the Startup Growth Kit, full of tools from Microsoft, American Express and Dell, connections with other entrepreneurs and free marketing and social media services. 

The focus of Startup America is to bring together the private sector to maximize the success of America’s startups and small businesses and to maximize America’s competiveness in an increasingly global world.  With an impressive list of founding board members including Steve Case, Scott Case, Carl J. Schramm, Michael Dell, Tory Burch, Reid Hoffman and Frederick W. Smith, The Startup America Partnership proudly aims to highlight entrepreneurship in and around America. 

“This is the start of a new chapter to promote small business and entrepreneurship in Kansas,” says Matt Gassen, coordinator of the Startup Kansas launch and contestant in the Startup America MasterChallenge*.  “Given the challenges of the economy nationally and locally, anything we can do to keep the positive momentum going is all for the better.” 

To join Startup Kansas, attend the launch event on January 31, 2012 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library from 1:15 until 2:00PM.  Enjoy networking and a number of influential speakers as Kansas and Silicon Prairie accelerate their entrepreneurial drives. 

*The Startup America Master Challenge recognizes leaders who are committed to helping recruit young companies across the nation to join the Startup America Partnership.  To apply for Startup America Partnership and help Matt Gassen become a top influencer, use this unique URL: http://ar.gy/mastermg01. 

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Dwolla: The Midwest Startup with 700 Interested Investors and a Billion Dollar Idea

How the startup that attracted 700 investors out of Des Moines, Iowa is impacting the world with a unique approach and creative culture.  

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

It’s a pretty big deal to be named a Top 10 Startup of 2011.  But it’s an even bigger deal to be named a Top 10 Startup of 2011 and be from Des Moines, Iowa. 

A few days ago, ReadWriteWeb counted down the Top 10 Startups of 2011, which included a list of some of the most popular new businesses of the year like Zaarly, Fab.com, Pinterest, Dropbox and Evernote.  And among these well-known names was one company that was launched out of Des Moines, Iowa:  Dwolla.  

Dwolla is a mobile payment platform that sends and receives payments to bypass credit card fees.  With Dwolla, a user can sign up, load their accounts and head over to a retailer that uses Dwolla for mobile payments.  Dwolla offers a cheaper, safer and overall better payment experience.  

But in founder Ben Milne’s mind, Dwolla is much, much more than “a different and better way to access money.” 

Instead, Dwolla has become Milne’s haven for creation, innovation and collaboration.  The company has allowed Milne to build a culture unlike any that PayPal or Visa contribute to the user experience.  

“My favorite part of this venture has been the ability to create,” says Milne of launching the Dwolla startup.  “It’s empowering to come into the office with an idea and at the end of the day, it’s built.  At Dwolla, creation is just a part of everyday life.  Solving problems is part of our culture.”

And these problems are not ones that can be shooed away.  Dwolla has been known to be a product that solves “million dollar issues”.  According to Milne, the creation of Dwolla has positively affected people, small business and even large corporations. 

Although Dwolla is extremely successful (with over 700 interested investors and with moves between $30 and $50 million per month), Ben still believes that the company is just at the beginning on the startup journey.

“We have a long way to go,” he says.  “But these successes have truly validated our efforts.” 

But what’s it like building a successful startup out of the Midwest?  Obviously, Ben has not received the same resources or support that he would if he moved the company to Silicon Valley.  So how has the Des Moines startup gotten by? 

“The truth of the matter is, startups are hard everywhere,” says Milne.  “We actually had an advantage because we have a strong team and great community members.  If we had the opportunity to move, I would say no.  It’s good that it’s here.  We want it to be here.” 

How does Ben Milne of Dwolla Think Big?  “I don’t just want to pay the bills.  I want to do something that makes an impact.  I want to solve a problem that impacts the world.” 

We believe that Dwolla does just that. 

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Holy Zaarly! Bo Fishback Makes Cover of Entrepreneur Magazine

Entrepreneur Magazine saved the best for last: Bo Fishback of Zaarly.

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

When we saw Entrepreneur's final issue of 2011 we couldn't help but yell, "Holy Zaarly!".  There he was; Kansas City entrepreneur and founder of Zaarly, Bo Fashback, gracing the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine for the first time.  According to Entrepreneur, Fishback has become known as one of "the next rainmakers" in the startup world...and for good reason.


Bo Fishback founded Zaarly, a San-Francisco-based startup, when he attended both Startup Weekend Los Angeles and SXSW in the spring.  Since then, Zaarly has raised a $14.1 million Series A round, has grown to approximately 30 employees and is taking over cities nationwide.  Zaarly currently has over 100,000 registered users, 15,000 unique monthly listings and nearly $6 million in offers posted.


But it's not just Zaarly's outstanding numbers and lightning fast startup story that has put the company on the map.  We believe that Zaarly is becoming a testament that successful startups can come from anywhere...including the Midwest.  After all, the company sprouted from Midwestern roots and plans to stay well-grounded in Kansas City.


Zaarly is a company that has proven that incredible ideas do not have to come from Silicon Valley.  Although the company was developed in Los Angeles during Startup Weekend, a large majority of Zaarly's efforts have been put forth in the Kansas City area.  In fact, Bo Fishback spoke not too long at the first Kansas City Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event at the Screenland Crown Center.


Fishback is well-rooted in Kansas City.  As a notorious Kansas City leader and Vice President of Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, Bo Fishback can't help but get involved in some of the biggest entrepreneurial efforts that Kansas City has to offer.


Congratulations to Bo Fishback and the entire Zaarly team for making it big!  


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