Gather the latest news about Groover Labs, Wichita Coworking, Startups, and Founders on our blog.
People you should know in Wichita's startup scene
The June 19, 2023 edition of the Wichita Business Journal featured several components of Wichita’s growing startup ecosystem. One section covered “People You Should Know in Wichita’s Startup Scene” and listed our co-founders, Curt Gridley and Tracy Hoover.
Groover Labs Receives $1.15M BASE 2.0 Grant Funding
We are thrilled to receive funding from the Building a Stronger Economy (BASE) 2.0 economic development grant for our CyberLink Infrastructure Expansion Project. BASE funds are intended to address infrastructure and economic development needs, and our grant award will allow us to continue critical projects we had to cancel or delay because of the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Member Interview: Francis Baalmann and ICTShortStay.com
Member Francis Baalmann began his career as an attorney. Now, he’s a real estate property manager, short-term rental owner, and entrepreneur.
InfoFluency to Launch Revenue Management Tool
Groover Labs member InfoFluency is launching a new Revenue Management Tool. We sat down with Alyssa McGuinn, managing director of business development, to discuss the tool and the reasons they decided to build it.
Local Software Firm Flint Hills Group Launches Whiskey Shelf App
Dave Cunningham, founder and CEO of Flint Hills Group and Groover Labs early adopter, has spent the past several months with his team building a new mobile app for whiskey lovers. Dave, a whiskey enthusiast himself, drew inspiration for the app while leading Campfire, a 12-week startup course taught at Groover Labs.
Studios Available on January 1, 2023
We have two studios available starting January 1, 2023. The studios are $350/mo., are billed on a month-to-month basis, and seat between 1 and 3 people. While the private offices in the coworking area come with desks and lockable file cabinets, the studios come as they are: you are free to furnish them with your own desk, chairs, couches, lamps, etc.
Members in the News: WorkTorch
Congrats to Groover Labs members WorkTorch on their article appearing in Essence Magazine! WorkTorch, formerly known as QuickHire, recently announced a $2.2M raise as well as a rebranding of the startup’s focus to incorporate not just job discover but also career development.
Greenfield Incorporated And MKC Expand Existing Partnership
Maker Labs member Greenfield Incorporated recently announced it has expanded its relationship with Mid Kansas Cooperative (MKC), a full-service farm cooperative, to coordinate logistics for its consumer packaged goods (CPG) partners. MKC will manage the intake, storage, and cleaning of crops — such as corn, soybeans, and sorghum — harvested by GreenField’s robots.
Member News: Block-It-Socket Launches
Congratulations to Groover Labs member Tate Hancock on the launch of his latest product, the Block-It-Socket, an innovatively designed babyproofing device that stays attached to power outlets so owners can’t misplace them. The product is made from durable, long-lasting, BPA-free UL94-rated material that stands up against repeated use.
Interview with WorkTorch Cofounders
Longtime Groover Labs members Deborah Gladney and Angela Muhwezi-Hall, cofounders of WorkTorch, recently announced a $2.2M seed round and rebrand (formerly QuickHire). Deborah and Angela, as well as Caleb Bill, have played an integral role in our success.
Player Card, Inc. Featured on KAKE News
Congratulations to Jacob O’Conner and Jon Peterson, cofounders of Player Card, Inc. for being featured on KAKE News. O’Conner and Peterson both graduated from Groover Labs’ Campfire, a 12-week technology-focused startup course based on Y Combinator’s startup class at Stanford University.
QuickHire Rebrands to WorkTorch, Raises $2.2M in Seed Funding
Congratulations to longtime members Deborah Gladney and Angela Muwhezi-Hall, cofounders of WorkTorch, the career discovery platform for service workers, on their $2.2 million seed round. They recently rebranded from QuickHire to WorkTorch to expand their product offerings. Wichita-based Tenzing Capital and Josh Oeding led the new round.
Knowmadics, Inc. and Groover Labs Launch Cyber Center of Excellence
Knowmadics, a provider of innovative end-to-end solutions for solving complex operational challenges and Groover Labs, a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit organization dedicated to innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship, today announced that Knowmadics will open a new Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) for national cybersecurity initiatives at Groover Labs’ 42,000-square-foot facility in downtown Wichita, Kansas.
Microsoft VP Mary Snapp Announces UpSkill-A-Thon Initative
Last week, we hosted Microsoft Vice President Mary Snapp and Senator Jerry Moran’s State Deputy Director Mike Zimarzla in our event venue to announce Microsoft Philanthropy and FlagshipKansas.Tech’s UpSkill-A-Thon, an initiative to help the workforce become more prepared for in-demand roles in the digital economy.
Wichita Startup Week 2022 Recap
We were thrilled to host Wichita Startup Week 2022 again this year. As the central location for startup activity in Wichita, we’re a natural fit. There were more than 30 sessions, almost all of which took place at Groover Labs. We loved having so many enthusiastic founders and startup ecosystem supporters here throughout the week. They brought the energy and vibe we foster within our community.
Big Thanks to Seth Etter and devICT
We want to extend a special thanks to Seth Etter, president of devICT, for presenting at your first lunchtime talk last Friday, September 16.
Members in the News: FlagshipKansas.Tech Inaugural Summit
Kansas is armed with several tools to make a leap as a leading state for the technology industry — but it needs to make sure it's not being meek about its capabilities. Read about FlagshipKansas.Tech’s inaugural Ad Astra Tech Summit.
PLOT Wins TAUC Startup Battle
Congratulations to Wichita startup PLOT Jobsite Management for their recent win at the Association of Union Construction Industrial Grade Innovation Conference and Expo Startup Battle.
Apply for Wichita Startup Week's Trade Show
You’ve probably heard that Wichita Startup Week 2022 is just around the corner, and it’s happening at Groover Labs. We hosted the first annual Startup Week last year, and we’re excited to host it again this year. One of the events, the Trade Show, will take place in our hotseat area on Thursday, October 13, from 1-5 p.m
Lunchtime Talks with devICT
We’re partnering with devICT, Wichita’s local developer community, to host a series of lunchtime talks focused on the third Friday of September, October, and November, from 12-1 p.m., in our hotseat area. Free for Groover Labs members; $10 suggested donation for non-members.