A List of Kansas City Startups That Have Raised Capital

Of the hundreds of startups that have launched in Kansas City in the past few years, very few of them have received funding.  Is it because there is a lack of capital in Kansas City?  Is it because angels and VCs simply aren’t funding at the rate that they used to?  Or is it because the startups are not living up to funder expectations?  We can only speculate.  But for those innovative and smart enough to raise capital here in the Midwest, we applaud you. 

Which brings us to a list of startup companies that have successfully raised capital here in Kansas City:  

1.  EyeVerify

EyeVerify enables mobile users to authorize transactions and access information in a manner that is secure, scalable and convenient through eye vein biometrics.  EyeVerify raised $1.4 million in the spring of 2012 from Think Big Ventures, The Nebraska Angels, Mid-America Angels and various individual investors.  Later in the spring of 2013, EyeVerify closed a $2.3 million Series A round.  The funds have been used to accelerate the startup’s deployments with customers, add features for the financial sector and grow the marketing sales team. 

2.  Leap2

Leap2 is a search platform that delivers web social, news, images and local results with one single search.  Leap2 closed a $280,000 seed round of funding in 2012 and raised $80,000 from friends and family.  Later in 2012, Leap2 brought in another $200,000 from previous investors as well as Thad Langford (founder of Zave Networks), Aaron McKee (Sprint) and an un-named partner at OpenAir Equity Partners.  In April of 2013, Leap2 announced that it had raised $1.6 million in new funding in order to release new versions of its iOS and Android app.  Leap2’s newest round of funding has been led by Dundee Venture Capital with participation from OpenAir Equity, Linseed Capital and Wichita Technology Corporation. 

3.  PlanetReuse/InvenQuery

PlanetReuse is a consulting and brokering company focused on matching reclaimed building material with designers, builders and owners across the globe.  In addition to its online marketplace platform, PlanetReuse also stood up InvenQuery, a startup that provides technology to help retailers of unique merchandise handle inventory, point-of-sale and ecommerce.

In September of 2012, PlanetReuse received a $250,000 grant from Chase and LivingSocial for the Mission: Small Business program.  The company used these funds to build awareness of the reuse industry and to promote PlanetReuse Marketplace.  Additionally, in November of 2012, a $650,000 Series A funding raise from Dundee Venture Capital helped InvenQuery enhance its technology and customer outreach.  Earlier that year, the startup received angel funding of $450,000, bringing its total capital raised to $1.1 million. 

4.  Front Flip

Front Flip helps businesses create profitable relationships with customers through experiences, instant promotions, rich customer analytics and targeted mobile campaigns.  In January of 2012, Front Flip received $3.95 million in Series A funding.  The startup then received another $3.75 million in Series B funding in January of 2013.  Front Flip’s Series B funding was led by Jon Darbyshire, executive chairman of the Archer Foundation and also included Peter Brown (AMC Entertainment Inc.), Gary Fish (FishNet Security), Lance Melber (eSmartloan.com) and The Brandmeyer family (Enturia).  In addition, Front Flip received $550,000 in partial close funding in October of 2012.  To date, Front Flip has received $8.25 million in funding. 

5.  Zaarly

Zaarly, one Kansas City’s more well-known startups, is an online platform and app that connects buyers and shoppers with local storefront owners.  In March of 2011, Zaarly received $1 million in seed funding from many notable investors including Ashton Kutcher, Ron Conway, Paul Buchheit and Lightback and others.  Zaarly raised another $14.2 million in Series A funding in October of 2011 from Kleiner Perkins and Sands Capital Ventures, among others.  Zaarly has utilized this capital to invest in its operations and technical development as well as hire employees for connecting buyers and sellers in each specific market. 

6.  Truckily

Truckily is a marketing and location software for food trucks.  In June of 2013, Truckily received $120,000 in seed funding from Gravity Ventures (Fayetteville, Arkansas) and Kea Ventures (Branson, Missouri).  The rest of Truckily’s capital will be rasied through friends and family.  Truckily founders plan to use the seed funding to open the platform to other areas and build an Android version of the app. 

7.  Trellie

Trellie is one of the few Kansas City companies that was successfully funded by a Kickstarter campaign.  The startup posted a video and photos of its product (a fashion accessory that notifies a user of incoming and missed calls through a flashing LED light attached to a purse) on Kickstarter hoping to raise $30,000.  The campaign drew in 515 backers who pledged $33,168.  

TBP’s June Entrepreneur Corner Brings in Hundreds of First Friday Shoppers

It’s not every day that a bunch of Kansas City’s local storefront owners can gather together to sell their homemade, one-of-a-kind items.  But thanks to the newly-formed Zaarly Bazaars (and a dynamite collaboration with Think Big Partners), we were able to bring together many of Kansas City’s coolest storefront owners during First Fridays.  The result?  Hundreds of people in and out of our parking lot buying some of the city’s most unique entrepreneurial products.   

There’s no denying it: June 7 was one of Kansas City’s most successful First Fridays.  The Crossroads was buzzing with local vendors, live entertainment (who got to see the Quixotic show?), live bands and hundreds upon thousands of excited attendees.  Snow & Co. was at one-in, one-out capacity, PizzaBella was completely full until 11:00 at night and our parking lot at 18^th & Baltimore was crammed with local shoppers from 7:30-9:30pm.

As a matter of fact, according to Zaarly, over 100 downloads of the Zaarly app occurred during this Entrepreneur Corner--in just a matter of a few hours!

If you had the chance to stop by Entrepreneur Corner and check out our Zaarly Bazaar, we hope you enjoyed your experience (and we hope you walked away with something awesome!  Maybe a Nelson-Atkins inspired Kansas City t-shirt?  Or a throw pillow in the shape of Missouri?). 

We snapped a few photos ourselves as we enjoyed chatting with new and old faces at Entrepreneur Corner.  Take a look:

Our own Think Big booth attracted budding entrepreneurs from the Kansas City area.

Zaarly storefront owners conversed and sold to First Friday attendees.

The Think Big Partners team celebrates Entrepreneur Corner, First Fridays and the Zaarly Bazaar by crowding around Think Big Accelerator's newest product--a Fully charging station/cocktail table. 

Thanks to all who made it out to Entrepreneur Corner and our first ever Zaarly Bazaar during First Fridays!  We hope you had as much fun as we did.

To learn more about Entrepreneur Corner, visit us on Facebook!

What is a Zaarly Bazaar?

As many of you already know, Think Big Partners is hosting a Zaarly Bazaar during Entrepreneur Corner (First Fridays) on June 7, 2013.  Sure, it sounds interesting, but what is a Zaarly Bazaar exactly? 

First of all, let’s talk about Zaarly—one of the most well-known and successful startups from the Kansas City region.  Zaarly is an online marketplace that helps you buy and sell things with the people around you.  Zaarly pushes the notion of “buying local”.  The platform allows you to browse local listings, place orders, hold on to your favorites, and ultimately, discover what local products you love.

The explanation above makes it seem as if Zaarly is an online-only business.  Not so fast!  Thanks to Zaarly Bazaars, much like the one we are hosting on June 7, buyers can meet local Zaarly storefront owners live and in person.  Once a month, Zaarly throws a good old fashioned bazaar in its various cities, bringing locals the best of the best of food, services and handmade goods.  Zaarly also makes multiple appearances at flea markets and other local events nationwide (so keep your eye out!).

If you’re an avid Zaarly user (or are just interested in learning more about this successful KC startup) be sure to swing by Think Big Partners’ parking lot at 1800 Baltimore during First Fridays (June 7, 2013 from 5:30-8:30pm) to learn more, get involved and buy local.  See you there!

Is your startup interested in showcasing at a future Entrepreneur Corner? Contact us! 

June 2013 Entrepreneur Corner: Zaarly Bazaar

Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to celebrate and recognize all the hard work Kansas City’s entrepreneurs have done while suffering through the snowy winter.  And we’re doing it this First Friday! 

It’s time to kick off another summer of Entrepreneur Corner. If you’re not familiar with Entrepreneur Corner, it’s an event hosted by Think Big Partners during First Fridays at our headquarters in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District (1800 Baltimore). Each Entrepreneur Corner event serves as a showcase of local Kansas City entrepreneurs and startups.

The first Entrepreneur Corner of the year will take place on June 7th from 5:30-8:30pm in the Think Big Partners parking lot (our May EC was unfortunately canceled due to weather). For the month of June we are partnering with Zaarly to host a Zaarly Bazaar.  The Bazaar will showcase Zaarly’s local small business storefronts.

We will also be featuring the First Friday by the Pitch app (powered by intev).  The app is a one-stop-shop for info of every event happening on First Friday.

No amazing social event would be complete without drinks—and Think Big has that covered! If you’re wondering about music too, look no further. Think Big Accelerator company WeeJay will be demoing its technology that allows you to be the DJ!

So clear your calendars on June 7^th from 5:30-8:30pm and join us at Entrepreneur Corner to celebrate the beautiful weather and support local entrepreneurs and startups!  See you then. 

Is your startup interested in showcasing at a future Entrepreneur Corner? Contact us!

Zaarly Rolls Out New Storefront Platform for Kansas City Entrepreneurs

Where can you find the best pumpkin pie in Kansas City and get it delivered to your doorstep at any hour of the day?

Where can you buy custom furniture--from bed frames to nightstands--for under $500?

Where can you find a repair man who comes to YOUR driveway?

Believe it or not, you don't have to open the Yellow Pages, beg for a referral from a friend or research online for hours on end to find any of these Kansas City services.

All of them--and many, many more--can be found in one spot.  On Zaarly's new storefront platform.

Bo Fishback, CEO of Zaarly.

For the past few years, Zaarly has enabled users to ask for anything from people nearby.  And now, with its new storefront platform, the Kansas City startup allows entrepreneurs, store owners and talented individuals to market their services directly from the Zaarly site (in an extremely professional way!).  That means that you can find virtually anything on Zaarly--from bakers to repairmen, yogis to massage therapists, calligraphers to tutors--all at a reasonable price.  And all of them have been Zaarly-approved (many by CEO Bo Fishback himself!).

Simply log in on www.zaarly.com/in/kansas-city.  From there, you can discover all of the amazing products and services that your neighbors provide.  With over 1000 listings in the Kansas City market alone, you're bound to find something you need (or want) just by scrolling through the storefronts.  Don't have time to make dinner tonight?  Order a weekly meal plan of homemade soups from Jenn Stagner.  Frustrated when attempting to train your disobedient puppy?  Newman's Dog Training can help with that (even while you're at work!).  Looking for a creative gift for a friend?  Get some sneakers custom painted by Ken Deladurantaye.  You never know what you'll find on Zaarly.

This same Zaarly storefront platform has already launched in test markets including San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City.  But Kansas City is Zaarly's first real trial of the new platform.  According to Fishback, "there is real magic that we can capture in Kansas City."

Fishback wants you to discover Zaarly storefronts for yourself (don't be shy...give it a try!).  The CEO himself encourages you to give the new platform a shot by "favoriting" a particular storefront, buying a cool product and experiencing exactly how the new Zaarly works.  Not satisfied?  Bo will personally reimburse you for anything you buy and are not satisfied with.

"This is the place in the world to go when you want to find something awesome," states Bo Fishback, quite simply. "That is Zaarly.  That is the goal."

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

5 Innovation Contests and Hackathons that Spurred New Products

In the tech startup world, innovation happens all the time. Innovation is a resource that the world can always use more of, and like any resource, it must be harvested. To harvest the energy of the sun, you need solar panels. If you want to turn the air into electricity, you need wind turbines. If you want to turn innovative ideas in profitable businesses, you need hackathons.

Hackathons embody everything that is fantastic about the tech startup world. Hackathons take place when a handful (or many, many more) like-minded individuals come together, take time out of their days and build amazing new companies and apps just for the sake of building. But there are some pretty jaw-dropping benefits to hackathons that justify the time and energy spent organizing and participating in these events.

There are a variety of different hackathons that have spurred hundreds of great innovative new products. Below are five hackathons that carry a little more prestige than the others because of the success that the startups have achieved since their inception.

1.   Startup Weekend LA, Notable Birth:  Zaarly
Part of the Startup Weekend series we all know and love, this hackathon takes place in Los Angeles at the Coloft coworking space. Anyone is welcome to pitch a startup idea and receive feedback from other Startup Weekend attendees. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54-hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing and market validation. Startup Weekend culminates with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with opportunities for critical feedback.

2.   Startup Bus, Notable Birth:  txtroo
With buses departing from San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Cleveland, New York and Miami, Startup Bus is a hackathon on wheels. Participating ‘buspreneurs’ produce different products as they travel to SWSX in Austin, TX. Not only is there a Startup Bus America but in December 2011, this style of hackathon was launched in Europe as well.

3.   Hack the Midwest, Notable Birth: Qup
Participants have just 24 hours to build and create a viable product. They can either build a team on their own or be paired through event coordinators.

4.   AngelHack, Notable Birth: Go Give
AngelHack unites developers around the country for a national hackathon where they can showcase big ideas and win seed capital from investors. It is one of the largest hackathon series with over $200,000 in prizes and $30,000 in sponsor prizes.

5.   Disrupt, Notable Birth:  Docracy
Presented by TechCrunch, Disrupt is series of hackathons that have taken place in Bejing, New York and San Francisco. Consisting of separate events over four days, Disrupt is open only to hackers and developers willing to work on projects to present. At the heart of Disrupt is the Startup Battlefield where entrepreneurs present to a judging panel of VCs, angels and general investors. What’s up for grabs?  The $50,000 prize, the coveted “Disrupt Cup”, a wealth of press exposure and new open doors.

So if you have an idea that you’ve been itching to try it out, but may not have had the time to do so, try out a hackathon. Sure you may lose some sleep, but you might gain a million dollar idea.  

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!  


Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig 

Bo Fishback of Zaarly Pulls It Off: You Can Be an Entrepreneur and a Great Parent

Work-life balance.  For entrepreneurs, it seems impossible.  How do you keep your family life, your work life and your personal life on the same level?  Bo Fishback, co-founder and CEO of Zaarly (one of the fastest-growing and successful startups of 2011) seems to have mastered it.

In the picture above, something doesn't seem...normal.  Perhaps its Pierce Fishback, Bo's child hanging on the the powerful CEO's frontside.  This picture was taken during Entrepreneurs Unpluggd in Kansas City, where Bo Fishback was featured as one of three keynote speakers for the night.  He discussed the startup adventures of Zaarly for forty minutes while baby Pierce patiently listened to his father, squirmed his arms and legs and sucked on his pacifier.  Throughout the speech, Pierce maybe made two or three peeps, in which his father would look down at him and start bouncing up and down.  The audience, of course, cooed and laughed.

Bo Fishback has shown that even as a full-time, caffeine-induced, email-answering, stressed out entrepreneur, you can also be Mr. Mom.

But the Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event wasn't the first instance where the startup world met Pierce Fishback.  Bo brought his family to Entrepreneur Corner a few months ago during First Fridays in the Crossroads District. It was the perfect blend of family, business and fun.

So entrepreneurs, did Bo Fishback help you change your mind?  Maybe you can do it all. 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Zaarly, Think Big Partners & OsteoGeneX Come Together at Entrepreneurs Unpluggd KC

Last night's Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event brought together entrepreneurs, social media experts, developers and designers from in and around the Kansas City area for the first time.  The event featured three main speakers from extremely different entrepreneurial backgrounds (Bo Fishback of Zaarly, Tyler Prochnow of Think Big Partners and Debra Ellies of OsteoGeneX).  All three speakers told stories about their entrepreneurial paths and then opened up for a Q&A session.

The Think Big team and I sat in the second row so we could get up-close-and-personal with the speakers.  Lucky for me, I was able to capture a few snapshots of the successful night:

Entrepreneurs Unpluggd organizers Stella Fayman and Tim Jahn.

Bo Fishback (with son, Pierce) talks about his crazy Zaarly venture.

Tyler Prochnow of Think Big Partners: "With the right team of people,
it's possible to build about anything."

Tyler Prochnow of Think Big Partners.

Screenland Crown Center was the perfect venue for an intimate evening.

Networking took place before and after the Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event.

An after party took place at the recently opened Snow & Company bar.

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Entrepreneurs Unpluggd: Every Section is a VIP Section

Have you ever been in the front row of a concert?  You can see every detail of the rockstar's face.  You get the chance to touch their hands (and never wash yours again, right?).  You can hear their heavy breathing and see the sweat beads on their forehead.  You're up close and personal.  You're a VIP.

But not everybody gets to be a VIP.  There are also people sitting at the very back of the venue.  To them, the rockstar is simply a speck on stage.  They cannot see the rockstar's facial expressions or touch their famous hands.  The back-row attendee's experience is a different one compared to the VIP.  It's not quite as exhilarating.

Which is why Entrepreneurs Unpluggd is hosting an entrepreneurial event that allows every attendee to be a VIP.  The Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event in Kansas City on November 15th will put attendees up close and personal with standout entrepreneurs in the KC area.  It's a day of storytelling, not lecturing.  A day of dialogue, not monologue.  A day of VIP treatment, not back row squinting.

"The Entreprenerus Unpluggd event is much more intimate than your typical business event," says Tim Jahn, co-founder of Entrepreneurs Unpluggd.  "It will be candid and informal.  It's storytelling that comes from the heart."

The Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event, How to Find Your First Customers, will feature three entrepreneurs from the Kansas City area who will tell their own startup story for approximately 30 minutes each.  Speakers at the November 15th event include Bo Fishback (Founder and CEO of Zaarly), Debra L. Ellies (CEO and President of OsteoGeneX Inc.) and our own Tyler Prochnow (Co-founder of Think Big Partners).

"All of our speakers come from different backgrounds," says Stella Fayman, co-founder of Entrepreneurs Unpluggd.  "We leave a lot of time for the audience to ask these speakers questions at the end.  We have found that the audience feels much more comfortable asking the hard questions because they are in a more intimate, personal environment."

But where in the world did an idea like Entrepreneurs Unpluggd come from?  Did it start in Kansas City?  No--but it did originate in our own Midwestern backyard; Chicago.

The first Entrepreneurs Unpluggd event took place in Chicago in February of 2011.  Ever since, Entrepreneurs Unpluggd has hosted four successful events in the Chicago area.  The events were so successful, in fact, that Entrepreneurs Unpluggd decided to expand its speaking events to other Midwestern cities--starting with Kansas City.

"We have a lot of connections in the Midwest, but most importantly, in Kansas City," says Jahn.  "I had the opportunity to meet passionate people at Big Omaha this past year and a lot of them were from Kansas City.  There is so much activity in KC that this all just fell into place!  There is a growing community here."

How to Find Your First Costumers will be an event that no Kansas City entrepreneur will want to miss.  Join the Think Big Partners team and Entrepreneurs Unpluggd at Screenland Crown Center in Kansas City from 6:00-9:00pm for an intimate, VIP event.  Buy your ticket today!

Follow me!  @AllisonThinkBig

October Entrepreneur Corner Wrap Up

First Fridays is known for showcasing Kansas City’s creative talent.  And last Friday night was no exception.  Between the local artists and entrepreneurs, creativity was booming at October’s Entrepreneur Corner event.  Think Big Partners and bizperc were thrilled to host 3 artists and 8 innovative companies including Zaarly, Life Equals and Silo88.  

Zaarly, an Entrepreneur Corner veteran, entertained the crowd with food artist Tony Bien and chalk artist Crosby Hessel.  Web Design company, Silo88, kicked off their Bad Website Contest and attendees were given the opportunity to enter to win a free website.  And the Life Equals photo booth was a huge hit among the First Fridays crowd.  Many people stopped to pose for a quick picture.  (Stay tuned to the bizperc Facebook page, we will be posting all the pictures from the Life Equals photo booth later this week.)   


October's Entrepreneur Corner also featured the amazing work of Kansas City artist and firefighter Thomas Gripp. 


Here are the 2 pictures I was able to grab before my camera battery died last weekend.

Tony Bein and his Zaarly pumpkin, just one of the incredible edible creations he created Friday night.
 

Crosby Hessel poses for a pic with his chalk creations in the bizperc parking lot.  

Thank you to everyone who came by to meet the entrepreneurs, socialize and view the talent of local artists.  Look forward to seeing you at the next First Friday Entrepreneur Corner. 

Written By Laura Goede
@LauraGThinkBig 

October First Fridays Brings Entrepreneurs and Artists Together

First Fridays in the Crossroads District of Kansas City has always been about the artists.  And because Kansas City has a flourishing art scene (especially in the Crossroads), the first Friday of every month has been dedicated to honoring these creative minds and displaying their fantastic pieces of art.

But there are other creative minds in Kansas City that have been making a name for themselves during First Fridays; entrepreneurs.

That's why Think Big Partners is bringing together artists and entrepreneurs at the October First Fridays at Entrepreneur Corner.  Tomorrow, join the TBP team as well as 8 knockout Kansas City startup companies for free beer, games and fun at 1800 Baltimore from 6:00-9:00 PM.  Entrepreneur Corner will feature standout companies like Zaarly, Life Equals, Silo88 and many others as well as one of KC's renowned artists with his artwork. 

So if you're into networking, checking out Kansas City's latest companies, and viewing beautiful pieces of art, stop by Entrepreneur Corner during First Fridays.

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

As the Weather Cools Down, Kansas City Entrepreneurship Heats Up

The beginning of October is always exciting, afterall, it's finally Fall.  The leaves are starting to turn and the weather is starting to cool down.  But at the same time, October seems to be heating up for Kansas City entrepreneurs.  And this coming Friday will be no different.


The Social Media Club of Kansas City is blowing up this month.  On top of hosting Building the Gigabit City earlier this week, SMCKC is also hosting their monthly breakfast from 7:30-9:00 AM at the Kansas City Cafe on Friday.  With a projected 80 people in attendance, the breakfast is a great opportunity to meet other Kansas City movers-and-shakers, entrepreneurs and social media gurus.


Missouri Bank (MoBank) is hosting it's third annual Rock. Paper. Scissors. Throwdown Tournament during First Fridays.  The event will take place at 125 Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City from 5:30 until 9:00 PM.  Those who have entered need to have wit, speed, dexterity and strategy in order to become the RPS champion and win a special prize.  Earn bragging rights, your name engraved on an RPS trophy, a belt and a gift basket filled with prizes.  Come watch the tournament on Friday and cheer on your favorite competitor!

Entrepreneur Corner, hosted by Think Big Partners and bizperc, will also be taking place during First Fridays in the Crossroads District.  Join the TBP team and 8 other knock-out startups from the Kansas City area for networking, free beer, games and fun.  Startups include Zaarly, KC Reporter, KC Incubator, Life Equals, Silo88, Derfour, Motion Machine Studio and more!  Entrepreneur Corner will take place at the corner of 18th and Baltimore from 6:00-9:00 PM.

Remember, entrepreneurs, this is just the first week of October - there are many more startup events this Fall.  Stay tuned for more event announcements in the coming weeks!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Join Us for Next Friday's Entrepreneur Corner

It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of September.  October starts tomorrow and here in the Crossroads the beginning of the month can only mean one thing… It’s time for another First Fridays and Entrepreneur Corner!

Next Friday, Think Big Partners will open up the doors and parking lot of the bizperc coworking space to host Entrepreneur Corner.  The event will bring together Kansas City entrepreneurs, business owners, startup companies and those interested in learning about the KC startup scene.  Those who attend next week's Entrepreneur Corner will have the chance to meet these successful startup companies: 

• Zaarly: Zaarly's easy-to-use digital platform gets you "what you want, when you want it" at the click of a mouse.  As a real-time, location-based marketplace, Zaarly allows its users to get whatever they want from the local community.
• Startup Weekend: Is a global network of passionate leaders and entrepreneurs on a mission to inspire, educate an empower individuals, teams and communities.
• KC Incubator: A new twist on the Kansas City business incubator brought to you by one of our bizperc tenants.
• Life Equals: The team at Life created a line of supplements and multivitamins with the conviction that “a better you can creates a better world”.
• Silo88: A local web design company who employ everything from SEO to social media to PPC to help attract customers to their clients’ websites.
• Motion Machine Studio: A video production company that takes promotional video to a new level by creating video with a shock and awe factor that only the movie industry has used up to this point. 
• Derfour: A Kansas City design firm whose services and creations can range anywhere from small print designs for business cards to extra large graphics for car wraps.
• KC Reporter: An online journal for Kansas City that covers the city government.  By tagging each article by zipcode, KC Reporter hopes to be the next big online journal in the Kansas City area through its usability and breaking headlines.

In addition to the entrepreneurial action, October's Entrepreneur Corner will feature the artwork of Thomas Gripp. 

So, stop by.  Grab a beer.  Socialize.  Even play some games with the entrepreneurs and artists at Entrepreneur Corner.  Join us October 7th from 6:30pm-9:00pm at the corner of 18th and Baltimore.  Can't wait to see you there!

Written By Laura Goede
@LauraGThinkBIG

Entrepreneur Corner Photo Recap

bizperc and Think Big Partners were proud to host the first ever Entrepreneur Corner during First Fridays last weekend.  It was an evening full of great art, entrepreneurship and fun!  Here is a glimpse of what went down last Friday night. 

Sculpture artist Donna McCullough shared a selection of her works from The Scream Collection with the First Fridays attendees. 

"My Mommy is 12. 94,000 Pins Can Kill. "

"Disposable Kids"

The halls of bizperc were brought to life by Adam Hoffman's photography. 

Two of Adam's stunning landscapes.

Things I can now associate with great art: a praying mantis and a glacier. 

KCWiseGuide was there to promote their local iPhone and Android app featuring Kansas City's best events, attractions, restaurants and more! 

Mellow Militia's Chris Puglisi showed the crowd how to master the Tiki Toss (the real life version of his mobile app hook and ring game). 

 Deal Bug was wheelin' and dealin' on the Deal Bug Truck at the entrance to Entrepreneur Corner.

The Zaarly Crew showed up in full force with a ton of Zaarly swag that they handed out all through the night. 

Thank you to all the small businesses, entrepreneurs and artists that participated in Entrepreneur Corner.  If you are interested in showcasing your business or art durning next months First Fridays please contact Sarah Snyder at ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com or 816-842-5244.  In the meantime, join the conversation by becoming a member of Entrepreneur Corner on Facebook.  See you October 7th!  

Written By Laura Goede
@LauraGThinkBig

Tonight's the Night! Join us for Entrepreneur Corner

Today is the first Friday of September, which means tonight is First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District.  This First Fridays is especially exciting for Think Big Partners & bizperc who will be opening the Entrepreneur Corner in their parking lot for the very first time.  Those who stop by Entrepreneur Corner this evening will have the opportunity to meet successful entrepreneurs, learn about new businesses in Kansas City and view unique pieces of artwork that local artists have produced. 

The local startups participating in tonight’s event include: Mellow Militia, Zaarly, KCWiseGuide, KC Incubator, DealBug and bizperc.

So, stop by.  Grab a beer.  Socialize.  Even play some games with the entrepreneurs and artists at Entrepreneur Corner.  Join us tonight from 6:30pm-9:00pm at the corner of 18th and Baltimore.  Can't wait to see you there!

Written by Laura Goede

@LauraGThinkBIG