Gather the latest news about Groover Labs, Wichita Coworking, Startups, and Founders on our blog.
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.
Members in the News: Greenfield Incorporated
Greenfield Incorporated completed a round of funding to expand its F2F© | FLEET-TO-FARM throughout the growing season, bringing Robots-as-a-Service to broad-acre farmers and delivering regenerative agriculture ingredients at scale.
Members in the News: FlagshipKansas.Tech
Read the latest news about FlagshipKansas.Tech in the Wichita Business Journal. The article outlines the unique experiences designed for attendees at the first annual Kansas technology conference.
Groover Labs Members Join 2022 Enterprise Engagement Series
Congrats to all of the Groover Labs members and former Groover Labs members who were accepted into NXTUS’s 2022 Enterprise Engagement Series. NXTUS, a local nonprofit whose mission is to support entrepreneurship in Wichita, developed the Enterprise Engagement Series under its NXTSTAGE umbrella.
Member News: FlagshipKansas.Tech Wins WBJ Award
Congratulations to long-time Groover Labs member FlagshipKansas.Tech for being honored by the Wichita Business Journal as an “entity pushing [Wichita’s’ entrepreneurial ecosystem forward.” FlagshipKansas.Tech is a non-profit organization who’s mission is propel the tech sector within the state through continuous efforts in awareness, education, and the workforce.”
Chris Callen on the ICTPodcast with Brandon Paulseen
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Groover Labs member Brandon Paulseen podcast, ICTPodcast, which he records in our podcast studio, we highly recommend it. He talks with people who do difficult things at the very highest level. Last week, he interviewed PLOT Jobsite Management founder and Groover Labs member Chris Callen.
Members in the News: QuickHire on Washington Post Live on 6/22
On Tuesday, June 21, Deborah Gladney and Angela Muhwezi-Hall, co-founders of QuickHire and Groover Labs members, were featured on Washington Post Live, the Post’s live journalism platform. Gladney and Muhwezi-Hall were interviewed by the Post’s technology and policy reporter Cat Zakrzewski.
Member Profile: Ryan DiBrito
Meet Ryan DiBrito, principal at Dynamic Acumen, a consulting firm that provides financial and strategic consulting to startups, SMBs, and enterprises. DiBrito has an extensive background in the VC world.
Member Profile: Alyssa McGinn
Meet Alyssa McGinn, managing director of business development for infoFluency, a data and analytics visualization company. She's also co-founder of Luminous, a resource for VCs and startups. Read our interview with here here
QuickHire Press Release
QuickHire, a career discovery platform working with service workers to find job and advancement opportunities, announces an oversubscribed $1.41 million financing round, led by MATH Venture Partners.
The funding will go towards technology investments and team expansion of this female, African American-run company, led by co-founders Deborah Gladney (34) and Angela Muhwezi-Hall (31).
IdeaTek in the news
One of our members, IdeaTek, was in the news recently. On Monday, October 25, the Wichita Eagle, in partnership with the Kansas Reflector, published an article about how CARES Act relief money to the tune of $50 million has gone into expanding broadband internet access in rural communities across Kansas. Photo Courtesy of the Kansas Reflector.
An Interview with the KaaS Team
Knowledge as a Service, Inc., or “KaaS”, operates Ringorang®, an app-based software solution designed to disrupt corporate learning. Companies that subscribe to Ringorang will use the technology to ensure employees retain and apply critical information from each learning session. The KaaS team brings high energy to Groover Labs. They walk fast and talk faster.
Interview with Chad Cox, Co-Founder of Optical Launch
Chad Cox is the co-founder of Optical Launch, a turnkey e-commerce application built to boost the optical experience of patients, customers, and optical staff. Born and raised in Wichita, Kan., Cox is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion stationed in Ft. Benning, Ga. He has a degree in computer science from Wichita State University and, in his free time, is a pretty good chef. Read our interview with him here.
QuickHire Featured in the New York Times
Photo credit: Doug Barrett for The New York Times. Click the link below to read a New York Times article published on August 19 about the strength of the startup boom in the U.S. during the pandemic. The article features Groover Labs members Deborah Gladney and Angela Angela Muhwezi-Hall and their tech startup QuickHire, a mobile job search platform directed at the service industry.
QuickHire Appears in Washington Post (Again!)
Groover Labs members Deborah Gladney and Angela Angela Muhwezi-Hall, along with their tech startup QuickHire, were mentioned in the Washington Post for the second time in less than two months. Click the link for the article.
KAAS begins crowdfunding to drive local hiring
Check out Groover Labs member and tech startup Knowledge as a Service, or KaaS, in a recent edition of the Wichita Business Journal by clicking on the link below. They have initiated an equity crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder.com to help hire 40 people in Wichita over the next year as they move operations to town.
QuickHire featured in Washington Post
Read a Washington Post article published on July 27 about changes in the workforce, and specifically, the service industry workforce. The article features Groover Labs members Deborah Gladney and Angela Angela Muhwezi-Hall and their tech startup QuickHire, a mobile job search platform directed at the service industry. Visit their website here. Read other stories about QuickHire here and here.