The Next Big Thing: Path.To

Have you ever seen the movie Office Space?  As one of the funniest movies of all time (in this writer’s opinion), Office Space tells the story of Peter Gibbons, a disgruntled programmer at a software company called Initech.  Peter’s biggest problem in life is his job.  He hates it.  He hates his coworkers (well, most of them), he hates his boss and he hates that he has to work weekends.  In other words, Peter is 100% unhappy in his work life.

Lucky for us (and for Peter), Path.To, a new startup that exploded out of Jacksonville, Florida, is looking to rid the world of the Peter Gibbons attitude.  The founder’s vision says it all: “We want to create a happier workforce.”

In order to do so, the team at Path.To has launched an online platform that matches job seekers with compatible technology and design job openings.    Path.To integrates a better, deeper understanding of job seekers, searches for compatible companies, sprinkles in a little algorithmic sugar and finds the right company to match the job seeker’s preferences and experiences (i.e. résumé, work/life, benefits, culture, etc.).  The platform then recommends the applicants to compatible companies in the database based on a Path.To score.  Because of this unique, creative process, Path.To has quickly become known as “the eHarmoney for job seekers”.

The startup launched in April in the Bay Area and is now expanding to 19 other “tech centers” throughout the United States.  The startup prefers to launch in areas that foster strong startup cultures, which has made Kansas City a prime target.  The platform is now available in the Silicon Prairie region, allowing Midwest entrepreneurs, software developers and designers to easily find open positions. 

“Most software engineers have a job for 8 months and then quit,” explains Darren Bounds, founder and CEO of Path.To.  “We want to connect business applicants with opportunities and help form a deeper bond.  In the long run, we want this to increase retention rate.” 

But running a business like Path.To isn’t without its challenges.  According to Bounds, the company is extremely successful in analyzing its applicants 80% of the time.  It’s the additional 20% that is challenging.  In order to solve this issue, Bounds and his 13-person team at Path.To are constantly building and refining the product in order to reduce that 20%. 

“All of the challenges are worth it when I receive emails and tweets that someone found an amazing opportunity because of Path.To,” he explains.  “I once received a 3-page email from a girl who found the perfect company because of Path.To’s analysis.  It was a personal, heart-felt email.  That’s what we’re all about.”

How Does Darren Bounds of Path.To Think Big? “It’s something I’ve always had since childhood—it’s a part of my personality.  It may be a deficiency, but I suffered from ADHD as a child.  But I think that my mind wanders in creative ways—it explores concepts and takes paths that others may not consider.  I have learned to have confidence in my ideas.  It’s just part of who I am.”

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

Think Big Counts Down to the Silicon Prairie Awards in Omaha

One week from today, Omaha’s Joslyn Art Museum will be filled with hundreds of people in attendance of the 2012 Silicon Prairie Awards. Over 400 entrepreneurs, investors, creatives and professionals will come together to honor the world of startup innovation and recognize individuals and companies for their creativity and success.

The inaugural event will distinguish 12 companies and individuals for particular strengths such as outstanding products, remarkable leadership and noteworthy contributions to the Silicon Prairie community over the course of this past year. The night includes an opening reception, a keynote talk, a closing party and a few surprises along the way.

The awards, which are put on by the people behind Big Omaha, Thinc Iowa and the Startup Job Crawls, will be given to businesses selected by a combination of a popular public vote and a vote by the selection committee.

This year’s awards include:

·       Startup of the Year

·       New Startup of the Year

·       Consumer Startup of the Year

·       B2B Startup of the Year

·       Mobile App of the Year

·       Startup Executive of the Year

·       Startup Technologist of the Year

·       Startup Designer of the Year

·       Startup Investor of the Year

·       Startup Service Provider of the Year

·       Silicon Prairie Community Champion

·       Silicon Prairie Ambassador

When the doors open at 6 pm, the Silicon Prairie Awards festivities will begin. This is not the type of event you want to be fashionably late to— the opening reception will offer everything from complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres to good company. The reception will also feature the Startup Alley, which will showcase nine Silicon Prairie startups...complete with demos and all.

After the opening festivities, guests will sit down for much-anticipated speeches and awards. They keynote speaker, David Cohen, will share his insights on the world of startup. David Cohen is huge in the entrepreneurial community. His company, TechStars, is one of the nation’s most respected startup incubators. His keynote talk will be sure to highlight his experiences with building TechStars and his passion for entrepreneurship.

After David Cohen shares his insights and the awards have been given, guests are invited to enjoy the closing party. There will be more complimentary food and drinks and guests are encouraged to continue to meet one another and learn more about the featured startups.

All are invited to the Silicon Prairie Awards and there are still a limited number of tickets available. Whether you’re the CEO of a startup or an entrepreneurial enthusiast from afar, we highly recommend you attend the event. For those of you wondering what to wear, don’t worry about that tux or gown. The attire is startup suave, so come in something classy but not overly formal. We expect to see you at the Joslyn on the 30^th, you’ll be in for an excellent night of startup ingenuity!

...And don’t forget to cheer on your favorite Kansas City nominees!  Although voting ended yesterday, you can still cheer on and support those KC individuals and companies who have been nominated for the Silicon Prairie Awards.  These KC superstars include RareWire, Klink Mobile, Sporting Innovations, LockPath (Overland Park), Front Flip (Overland Park), Leap2, myHomework, Naithan Jones (Overland Park), Chris Caldwell (Overland Park), Matt Angell, Rodrigo Neri, Jack Johnson, OpenAir Equity Partners, Greg Kratofil, Thad Langford, Joni Cobb and Nick Seguin.  

Missouri: A Top Spot for Conferences

Recently, the Kauffman Foundation announced that Missouri is the number 6 state for entrepreneurs, but did you know it’s also a hot spot for meetings and conferences as well? According to the article “More Meetings in MO” by William Ng, Kansas City, St. Louis and Branson (yes, Branson!) are some of the top choices for business gatherings.

Conference in KC

From the large-scale Kansas City Convention Center to the more intimate, loft-style spaces of the Crossroads District at bizperc, Kansas City has a lot to offer when it comes to meeting spaces.  Downtown KC has been recently revamped and is ready for eager professionals!  Ng writes, “In the first two months of 2012, the city hosted more than a dozen conventions that contributed more than $20 million to the local economy…In 2011, it recorded its best year ever in terms of hotel demand, with 6.6 million room nights sold.”  Tourists and business people alike are discovering that Kansas City is the new hip destination.

Synergy in St. Louis

The Meeting Professionals International World Education Congress love St. Louis so much, they even had their annual meeting there in July.  St. Louis offers the 500,000 square foot America’s Center right in the center of the lively downtown with four convention centers in one—including Cervantes Convention Center, Edward Jones Dome (yep, the football stadium is inside this place!), St. Louis Executive Conference Center and the Ferrara Theatre.  Walk out the door, and you’re immediately surrounded by restaurants, hotels and other attractions.  With room to play and sites to see, St. Louis offers more than just great sports teams and Budwesier beer!

Book it in Branson

You may be surprised to find Branson on this list, but it’s been gaining convention popularity.  At this family reunion destination, you’ll find not only large groups of relatives strolling around in matching t-shirts, but also business professionals attending conferences.  The Branson Convention Center is just moments away from golf courses, a lake and the Landing (filled with shops and luxurious dining). Plus, if you’re really feeling adventurous, Silver Dollar City is just nine miles away.  You’ll also find the lowest hotel room tax out of the three cities here – 12.1 percent!  It’s not just for tourists anymore either.  Branson is getting a well-deserved rep for hosting some pretty important people.

As the Silicon Prairie gains more popularity, the Midwest earns more respect. Missouri has a lot to offer – and professionals everywhere are starting to see it. 

Silicon Prairie News Announces 48 Finalists for Awards Program (17 From KC and OP!)

Yesterday, Silicon Prairie News announced the top 48 finalists for the Silicon Prairie Awards, which will take place on August 30th at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Awards honor those individuals and companies for outstanding products, strong leadership and noteworthy contributions to the community over the last year.

The Silicon Prairie Awards is made up of 12 different categories.  Some of the most notable include Startup of the Year, Startup Executive of the Year, Silicon Prairie Ambassador and Silicon Prairie Community Champion.

We are excited to announce that 17 different individuals and companies from Kansas City and Overland Park have been nominated in the Silicon Prairie Awards!  A huge congratulations to our great neighbors:

• RareWire (Startup of the Year and B2B Startup of the Year nominee)
• Klink Mobile (New Startup of the Year nominee...and bizperc tenant!)
• Sporting Innovations (New Startup of the Year nominee)
• LockPath (B2B Startup of the Year nominee)
• Front Flip (Mobile App of the Year nominee)
• Leap2 (Mobile App of the Year nominee)
• myHomework (Mobile App of the Year nominee)
• Chris Caldwell, LockPath co-founder and CEO (Startup Executive of the Year nominee)
• Naithan Jones, AgLocal co-founder and CEO (Startup Executive of the Year nominee)
• Matt Angell, RareWire co-founder and CEO (Startup Technologist of the Year nominee)
• Rodrigo Neri, Instin co-founder, iOS and web developer (Startup Technologist of the Year nominee)
• Jake Johnson, Divshot co-founder (Startup Designer of the Year nominee)
• OpenAir Equity Partners (Startup Investor of the Year nominee)
• Greg Kratofil, Polsinelli Shughart PC (Startup Service Provider of the Year nominee)
• Thad Langford, Open Air Equity entrepreneur in residence (Silicon Prairie Community Champion nominee)
• Joni Cobb, Pipeline founding president and CEO (Silicon Prairie Community Champion)
• Nick Seguin, former Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation manager of entrepreneurship (Silicon Prairie Ambassador) 

You can become a part of the Silicon Prairie News Awards too!  A 21-day public voting period began yesterday where you can play a part in selecting the winners.  And be sure to purchase your Silicon Prairie Awards ticket today!

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? 

Vote in the Silicon Prairie Awards

Don't make him disappointed in you - vote now!

Calling all startup fans! It’s time to nominate your favorites (startups and their investors alike) in this year’s Silicon Prairie Awards! If you know companies or entrepreneurs who did outstanding work from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and are located in the Silicon Prairie area, it’s time to nominate them here on SPN’s website, now through July 25.

Award Categories:

• Startup of the Year
• New Startup of the Year
• Consumer Startup of the Year
• B2B Startup of the Year
• Mobile App of the Year
• Startup Executive of the Year
• Startup Technologist of the Year
• Startup Designer of the Year
• Startup Investor of the Year
• Startup Service Provider of the Year
• Silicon Prairie Superhero
• Silicon Prairie Ambassador

After nominations are collected, voting will begin August 2 and run until August 22.  The winners will be announced Tuesday, August 30 at an awards ceremony at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska. Vote in as many or as few categories you want, but make sure to exercise your one civilian duty and vote—or else P. Diddy will be very angry. 

Flyover 50: Five Elms Capital Lists Fastest Growing Companies in the Midwest

This week, Five Elms Capital announced the winners of the Flyover 50, a list of the fastest-growing companies that originated in the flyover states.  Of the 50 companies, 11 reign from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska (a part of the country that is becoming known as Silicon Prairie).  

The Flyover 50 highlights companies in the middle of the country for potential employees and customers, according to Fred Coulson, managing partner of the private equity firm, Five Elms Capital.  These companies applied or were nominated to be considered for the Flyover 50.  The nominees were then ranked based on percentage of revenue growth.  

A big congratulations to the following Flyover 50 companies from Think Big Partners (list from Silicon Prairie News):

1. Appcore – Des Moines
2. Motivity Solutions – Denver, Colo.
3. Brightbox – Houston
4. InQuicker – Nashville, Tenn.
5. VeteranCorps – O'Fallon, Ill.
6. Mill Haven Foods – New Lisbon, Wis.
7. Kutenda – Denver
8. Twentyseven Global – Overland Park, Kan.
9. Dancin' Dogg Golf – Traverse City, Mich.
10. C&J Energy Services – Houston
11. Onsite Occupational Health & Safety – Princeton, Ind.
12. Marketplace Homes – Livonia, Mich.
13. BidPal – Indianapolis, Ind.
14. MentorMate – Minneapolis
15. ebQuickstart – Austin, Texas
16. TEKPROS – Plano, Texas
17. Catapult International – Lenexa, Kan.
18. Tarsus CFO Services – Kansas City, Mo.
19. Gorilla Commerce – Chicago
20. Abstrakt Marketing Group – St. Louis
21. Rise Interactive – Chicago
22. Great Northern Building Products – Louisville, Ky.
23. Red Arrow Labs – Milwaukee
24. Sun King Brewing Company – Indianapolis
25. Aspen Contracting – Lee’s Summit, Mo.
26. Justin's – Boulder, Colo.
27. LeanDog – Cleveland, Ohio
28. Viverae – Dallas
29. Eating Recovery Center – Denver
30. Enviro Clean Products & Services – Yukon, Okla.
31. The Grand River – Ann Arbor, Mich.
32. AXYS Industrial Solutions – Houston
33. Velociti – Kansas City, Kan.
34. The Whitestone Group – Columbus, Ohio
35. Bill Bartmann Enterprises – Tulsa, Okla.
36. The Nerdery – Minneapolis
37. MobileDemand – Hiawatha, Iowa
38. Structura – Austin, Texas
39. MMY Consulting – Indianapolis
40. FTS International – Fort Worth, Texas
41. mPay Gateway – Minneapolis
42. Sonic Equipment Company – Iola, Kan.
43. ITWC – Malcom, IA
44. Innovative-IDM – Carrollton, Texas
45. Pallas Partners – Louisville, Ky.
46. Genova Technologies – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
47. Kinnser Software – Austin, Texas
48. Proforma Promotionally Yours – Kansas City, Kan.
49. Search Influence – New Orleans
50. Sightline Health – Bellaire, Texas

What's next for the Flyover 50?  Each will be recognized at an awards ceremony at the Association for Corporate Growth's Mid-America Corporate Growth Conference today in Kansas City.  Congratulations, Flyover 50!

To learn more about the Flyover 50, please read the recent press release.

Big Omaha: The Summer Camp You Never Want To End

Most of us have been there.  Whether it was summer camp, horse back riding camp, sports camp or (for the geeks at heart) science camp, almost all of us have experienced the great outdoors, youth camaraderie and bad hygiene during camp.

And along with the arts and crafts, kayaking adventures and capture-the-flag games, we have also all experienced anxiety before camp begins and sadness after we have to say goodbye to our new friends and counselors.

Silicon Prairie News event coordinator Brittany Mascio believes that Big Omaha gives off these same emotions; anxiousness, excitement and sad goodbyes.

What is Big Omaha exactly?  It's an annual entrepreneurship and innovation conference that aims to share stories and connect the Omaha community with the rest of the country.  But if you ask any member of Silicon Prairie News (the organizers of the event) or any past attendee of Big Omaha, they will be sure to tell you that it's so much more than that.

This year, Big Omaha will take place May 9-11 at KANEKO, located in the Old Market.  The conference will feature 14 keynote speakers, a dynamite MC, plenty of food to go around and the opportunity to check out the Omaha startup scene...not to mention tons of networking and interactive fun.

"Big Omaha is a good place for entrepreneurs and others looking for inspiration to collaborate with one another," said Mascio.  "Big Omaha is at the forefront of what's going on in the tech center."

Big Omaha 2012 will follow the same structure as the 2011 conference, but with a few cool additions.  Although the Silicon Prairie News team wouldn't give all of the secrets away, they did inform us that this year, Big Omaha is adding artists into the mix.  The SPN team hopes that this addition will help the conference promote its theme of inner-connectivity.

So when Big Omaha closes and it's time to head home (tear!), what will you walk away with?  Mascio gave us the inside scoop:

1.  Advice. 
After Big Omaha, you will have a plethora of stories to reflect upon.  All of Big Omaha's 14 keynote speakers will tell founder stories and give an inside look at how to become a successful entrepreneur.

2.  Connections. 
You will leave Big Omaha with more than just a notebook full of entrepreneurial scribble.  You'll also leave with stacks of business cards, informational handouts, major swag and a completely full contact list.  Big Omaha is all about energizing people to connect with other attendees.

3.  Memories.
Just like summer camp, Big Omaha provides unforgettable memories and nonstop fun.  It's a conference that helps many startups out there realize that entrepreneurship can be fun.  It truly is that summer camp you don't want to end.

Unfortunately for you, Big Omaha is completely sold out!  The good news? Silicon Prairie is creating a waiting list for those entrepreneurs who are dying to get a foot in the KANEKO door.  To learn more, be sure to visit http://www.bigomaha.com/.

Follow BigOmaha! @BigOmaha
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Entrepreneurial Attitudes In Kansas City [From Brad Feld of TechStars and Foundry Group]

Brad Feld, co-founder of Foundry Group and TechStars, recently corresponded with Herb Sih, co-founder of Think Big Partners, to discuss the startup scene in and around the Kansas City area.  Read the article featured on Brad's blog, Startup Communities and view it below: 

Brad Feld of TechStars
and Foundry Group.

I’ve gotten many emails about how startup communities grow and develop completely separately from Silicon Valley. Following is an overview of what’s driving the Kansas City startup community right now, written by Herb Sih, the co-founder and managing partner of Think Big Partners.

The founders of Think Big Partners toured the startup scene in Silicon Valley before they launched their Midwest business incubator and startup accelerator.  And although the Think Big team uncovered helpful tips during a tour of the Valley (like the impact of coworking spaces, the need for local funders and the importance of a tech culture), they seemed to learn one lesson that was much more impactful after returning back to their home of Kansas City:  You don’t need to be like Silicon Valley in order to get Silicon Valley-esque results.

Herb Sih of Think Big Partners.

And that’s where Think Big Partners started.  They asked themselves, “How can we make a Silicon Valley impact with our own Midwestern roots?  How can we make a dent in the startup and tech worlds in our own city, on our own watch?”  The team answered these questions by developing one of Kansas City’s first coworking spaces, which has been the second home to over 50 entrepreneurs and their startup companies.  Think Big Partners also developed a business incubator and startup accelerator model that has helped to launch and grow some of the most successful Midwestern businesses today.  With collaboration from other Kansas City entrepreneurial superstars such as the Kauffman Foundation, KCSourceLink, Kansas PIPELINE, the University of Kansas City-Missouri Bloch School and others, Think Big Partners helped to make entrepreneurial success one of the city’s main focuses.

And Think Big Partners’ launch was timed just right.  Because soon after the launch of TBP, Kansas City (and the Midwest for that matter) underwent an immense entrepreneurial transformation.

Since the launch of Think Big Partners, entrepreneurship seemed to explode in and around the Kansas City area.  Startup companies such as Zaarly, Dwolla and LiveOn have flourished in the Midwest.  There has been so much startup success that the Midwestern region has become known as Silicon Prairie.

But it isn’t Silicon Valley that has defined the terms for Silicon Prairie.  The Silicon Prairie area is an entrepreneurial movement in its own right.  For instance, Silicon Prairie has become the home of the nation’s first Google 1-Gigabit Fiber Network, has been named the IT hub by The Wall Street Journal and is gradually becoming known as The City of Entrepreneurs.  This has all been on Silicon Prairie’s watch—not Silicon Valley’s.

But how has this entire region grown its startup scene without help from Silicon Valley?  The answer is obvious: with entrepreneurial attitudes.  Silicon Prairie is all about collaboration.  At one moment, you’ll see that H&R Block has rejuvenated its entrepreneurial mentorship program and the next, you’ll find that The Kauffman Foundation has invested in Kansas PIPELINE initiatives.  In one instant, you will learn about Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge business plan competition and the next, you’ll see five new coworking spaces pop up around the Midwest.  Everyone is working on entrepreneurship together—making the Midwest one of the nation’s up-and-coming entrepreneurial hubs to date (we like to also call this “coopetition”—where competitors end up cooperating together instead of competing against each other.  This is one of the main reasons that Kansas City and the Midwest have become so entrepreneurial.)

Kansas City: It's the people in that make this community
an entrepreneurial one.  

It’s not about having a Silicon Valley attitude—it’s about having an entrepreneurial attitude.  It’s about partnering with other organizations in and around your area.  It’s about thinking big with entrepreneurs that sit next to you in your coworking space.  It’s about collaboarting with tech gurus, social media wizards and community leaders at cool business events.  It’s the people that make a community an entrepreneurial one—not the location—and it’s up to you to contribute.

Follow Brad! @bfeld

Follow Herb Sih! @thinkbigKC

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! 

Is Google Fiber Fostering a New "Research Triangle"?

Photo: Lucie Debelkova, Business Insider

In the 1950s, three cities distinguished themselves as the Research Triangle—Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina became a hub for numerous high-tech companies and enterprises. The Triangle was also born from North Carolina State University, Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Companies within The Triangle include American Airlines, Cisco Systems, General Electric, IBM, Toyota, Verizon and many others, making it one of the most high-tech areas of the country.


On the other side of the country lies Silicon Valley—an obvious hub for tech startups, investors, entrepreneurs, coworking spaces and technology. The East and West coasts seem to be covered. The same goes for the North and South with booming hubs such as Boston and Austin.

But what about the middle of the country? What does the Midwest bring to the technology table?

Kansas City may be the answer.  After being selected as the city that Google Fiber is to build its 1 Gigabit Fiber network on, the city seems to be exploding with entrepreneurship, startups, innovation, new business and technology.

But the city doesn’t have to go at it alone. Silicon Valley is made up of multiple locations, as is Research Triangle. But what cities will help Kansas City become a hub for tech startups? Could we build a Triangle of our own?

Could the next city be Council Bluffs? According to the Des Moines Register, Council Bluffs, Iowa is undergoing a major Google Fiber makeover. Google is currently seeking federal permission to put a satellite antenna farm near the Council Bluffs data center, a move that experts speculate would enable the company to receive movies and TV shows that could be bundled with the super-fast Internet services in Kansas City.

Could it be Omaha? With major entrepreneurial initiatives such as Big Omaha, Silicon Prairie News and many others, Omaha seems to be taking the startup world by storm. It wouldn’t be too surprising if Kansas City’s next-door-neighbor, Omaha, continued to make major Midwest moves when it comes to entrepreneurship—especially being so close to Google Fiber.

Could it be Chicago? There are so many entrepreneurial initiatives going on in Chicago, it’s hard to keep up. And Kansas City already has made great ties to the Windy City’s initiatives—OfficePort CHI, Entrepreneurs Unpluggd and Kauzu (winner of the Born Global Award of Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge). Chicago would greatly benefit from the Google Fiber network and could help to strengthen the Midwest with its big-city approach.

What do you think? Are there other cities in the Midwest that should strive for entrepreneurial success like Kansas City? Could the Midwest become a hub of entrepreneurship, innovation and technology? We can’t help but say yes—after all, anything seems possible with Google Fiber!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig
Follow Google Fiber! @GoogleinKC

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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