Silicon Prairie News

NEWS

At Kauffman event, leaders call for end to local, state barriers to startups

3611_fd70dce947_small February 9, 2012 by Michael Stacy

Washington, D.C. A group of government officials, academics and non-profit leaders convened today in Washington, D.C. to call for the reduction of legislation and regulation that they believe is impeding the progress of the country's high-growth startups. Benno Schmidt, the interim president and CEO of the Kansas City, Mo.-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Govs. Dave Heineman of Nebraska and Jack Markell of Delaware, who both attended on behalf of the National Governors … read more

NEWS

Watch Live: Kauffman’s State of Entrepreneurship Address

3610_f1c247d1e7_small February 9, 2012 by Michael Stacy

Washington, D.C. Benno Schmidt, the interim president and CEO of the Kansas City, Mo.-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska headline a group of speakers slated to talk today at the Kauffman Foundation's third annual State of Entrepreneurship Address in Washington, D.C. The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Central Time and continue for 90 minutes … read more

NEWS

Lincoln announces plan to install downtown fiber grid

3600_66cb19c0d0_small February 9, 2012 by Kate Ellingson

Lincoln Unite Private Networks and the City of Lincoln will form a joint public-private partnership to place a grid of telecommunication fiber in downtown Lincoln. Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler outlined the plan during a press conference today, where he said that the city will finance a grid of conduits that will ultimately hold fiber from Unite and be open to any other communication company. The city will own the conduit, and Unite will maintain it. Any telecommunication service providers will be able to install fiber in the conduit. … read more

NEWS

Leap2 adds Android app, raises $280K to rethink mobile search

3595_d299223094_small February 9, 2012 by Danny Schreiber

Kansas City Leap2, a Kanas City, Kan.-based startup that launched its iPhone app in November, released its Android app on Wednesday, bringing wider distribution to its new take on searching the web on mobile devices. Leap2, a Kanas City,Kan.-based startup that launched its iPhone app in November, released its Android app on Wednesday, bringing wider distribution to its new take on searching the web on mobile devices. "You don't have to go to a page of search results any more," Mike Farmer (below), founder of Leap2, said in a phone interview on Saturday, "you can go direct to the website … read more

NEWS

foursquare names Des Moines winner of ‘city badge,’ credits Drake class

3597_9c8a70b619_small February 8, 2012 by Michael Stacy

Des Moines Been there. Done that. Have the foursquare badge. For folks that make the rounds in Des Moines, that's now a possibility, thanks to a grassroots effort led by Chris Snider and his students at Drake University. foursquare announced today that Des Moines is one of five cities nationwide that earned its own badge in the foursquare city badge contest. foursquare, the popular, location-based mobile app that's a social network and rewards platform, last month challenged people to create and … read more

NEWS

Proxibid hires ‘pioneer’ Larry Latham for business development boost

3592_814cf4ac9b_small February 7, 2012 by Michael Stacy

Omaha When Proxibid president Ryan Downs sat down for an interview with Silicon Prairie News in September, Downs highlighted two goals at the top of his company's to-do list for the immediate future: growth of the marketplace and international expansion. With its latest hire, Proxibid appears to be backing up Downs' talk. The Omaha-based real auction marketplace announced Monday that Larry Latham, billed by Proxibid as an "auction industry pioneer," has joined its team to add focus to its business development strategy. "I am very excited about the opportunity … read more

NEWS

Legal Sonar uses social networks to help attorneys, clients find right fit

3589_3da9e778c4_small February 7, 2012 by Michael Stacy

Overland Park During her time practicing law and in the years since, Diana Kander has come to believe that almost no amount of … read more

NEWS

Dwolla raises $5m Series B round led by Union Square Ventures (Video)

3587_b6e7fe2428_small February 7, 2012 by Danny Schreiber

Des Moines Dwolla, an online and mobile payments network based in Des Moines, announced today it raised $5 million in a series B round led by Union Square Ventures of New York, with participation from Village Ventures and Thrive Capital, also of New York, Artists & Instigators of West Conshohocken, Penn. (Marc Eckō's venture innovation company) and angel investor Paige Craig of Los Angeles-based Betterworks. "The first round … read more