Watch 24 companies present at Kauffman’s Demo Day (Video)

More than 20 companies kicked off Global Entrepreneurship Week earlier this month by taking part in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s second Startup@Kauffman Demo Day. “I think Mr. (Kauffman) would’ve absolutely loved this event,” Kauffman Foundation’s Cameron Cushman said, noting the event combined Kauffman’s love for entrepreneurship and love for Kansas City. Though the event…

More than 20 companies kicked off Global Entrepreneurship Week earlier this month by taking part in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation‘s second Startup@Kauffman Demo Day.

“I think Mr. (Kauffman) would’ve absolutely loved this event,” Kauffman Foundation’s Cameron Cushman said, noting the event combined Kauffman’s love for entrepreneurship and love for Kansas City.

Though the event is titled “Demo Day,” not all presenters gave product demonstrations when showcasing their businesses. All, on the other hand, shared how those in the audience could help grow their companies. The event’s host, the Kauffman Foundation, and emcee, Thad Langford, encouraged this call for community support.

“As you listen to these companies present, figure out how you can get involved,” said Langford, a Kansas City-based angel investor. “Think about how you can help these companies … because ultimately that’s really what’s going to build the startup community here and also in the region.”

Each startup presented for 6 minutes before turning it over to audience questions for 4 minutes. Watch the companies present in the videos embedded below (presentation order accompanies each video).

Morning session

00:00 – Global Entrepreneurship Opening Remarks: Cameron Cushman, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation manager in entrepreneurship

06:45 – Rep. Kevin Yoder, co-sponsor of The Start-up Act 2.0

14:10 – Startup@Kauffman Demo Day Opening Remarks: Cushman

22:30 – Thad Langford, emcee

24:30 – Integrated Roadways
: “We make smart pavements better, faster, cheaper,” founder Tim Slyvester said. (Kansas City, Mo.
)

35:25 – Stackify: “We provide a suite of tools that software developers can use to manage, monitor and troubleshoot all of their applications,” founder Matt Watson said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

46:45 – Fannect: “We’re a mobile social platform for sports fans,” founder Hunter Browning said. (Stilwell, Kan.)

58:00 – MySoulSeat
: “SoulSeat is designed to be an answer to (the ‘sitting is the new smoking’) challenge,” founder John Matthews said. (Columbia, Mo.)

1:09:25 – Cognovant: “(PocketHealth is) a tool that let’s you connect all of your health information,” co-founder Joe Ketsherside said. (Kansas City, Mo.
)

1:21:35 – Crowd Prospectus: “We’ve set out to create a tool that empowers individual investors but is also available to institutional investors to help people understand the social climate surrounding global and individual markets,” co-founder John McGovern said. (Warsaw, Mo.)

1:34:00 – Hello Holiday: “A new women’s wear ecommerce site with a focus on supporting emerging designers,” co-founder Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik said. (Omaha)

1:44:50 – PaySAFE: “PaySAFE provides an online closing table where we can create, negotiate and close these transactions with the financial protection of PaySAFE’s escrow service,” founder Matt Medlock said. (Omaha)

1:55:50 – RecBob: “Our tool is really focused on managing that (recreational sports) player’s time after work,” founder John Schnipkoweit said. (Omaha)

2:04:20 – Threedee: “Working on a platform that leverages that connects developer’s software with 3-D printers, CNC machines and laser cutters,” co-founder Michael Demarais said. (Kansas City, Kan. and Walpole, Mass.)

2:14:20 – RFP365: “We’re here to solve (the request for proposal process),” David Hulsen said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

2:23:00 – Neighorly: “Neighborly is a funding platform for community projects,” marketing director Sean Connolly said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

2:32:55 – Local Ruckus: “The best way to understand (what Local Ruckus does), is by posing a question. … ‘Where would you look to find things to do?’ ” co-founder Adam Arredondo said. (Kansas City, Kan.)

2:43:30 – Fine Vines Artisanal Ketchup: “The intent of the brand is to help consumers enjoy their meals more through greater flavor varieties and to help retail stores generate an additional revenue stream,” Bruce Steinberg said. (Leawood, Kan.)

Afternoon session

00:00 – Afternoon remarks: Cushman

01:45 – Instin: “We are a company that’s here to really attack this problem of student organization,” co-founder Keith Entzeroth said. (Leawood, Kan.)

14:10 – Leap2: “We are setting out to revolutionize mobile search and looking at search from the perspective of what a mobile user wants and needs and also looking at what some of the new opportunities we have today to bring in new information sources to the experience,” founder Michael Farmer said. (Kansas City, Kan.)

27:10 – RareWire: “We invented a new software that makes it easy to build apps,” co-founder Kirk Hasenzahl said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

38:35 – Flywheel: “Premium and elegant WordPress hosting and management built specifically for web designers, freelancers and creative agencies,” co-founder Dusty Davidson said. (Omaha)

48:35 – Artifact Bag Co.: “I love making things. I love designing, building things,” founder Chris Hughes said. (Omaha)

59:50 – PlanetReuse Marketplace: “(PlanetReuse Marketplace) is on a tear to help reduce that 40 percent of U.S. landfill waste to 30 percent by 2020,” co-founder Willow Lundgren said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

1:11:35 – Latern Software: “Basically what Latern does is help connect small, local and authentic businesses to a customer base and it helps them grow and retain that customer base,” founder Aaron Sloup said. (Olathe, Kan.)

1:20:55 – Snack on Racks: “Our new product called One For You is a solution to a national problem, and of course that problem is the health of Americans,” Jennifer Juarez said. (Parkville, Mo.)

1:31:35 – Formzapper.com: “We help businesses manage paperwork online,” founder Andrew Kallenbach said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

1:38:50 – Folioboy: “I’m in the business of documenting personal achievement,” founder Evan Kirsch said. (Kansas City, Mo.)

 

Credits: Videos from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundaiton on Livestream.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

Get the latest news and events from Nebraska’s entrepreneurship and innovation community delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday.