Gather the latest news about Groover Labs, Wichita Coworking, Startups, and Founders on our blog.
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.
PLOT Featured in The Construction User Magazine
PLOT Jobsite Management recently one the Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) Industrial Grade Innovation Conference and Expo’s Startup Battle! You can read more about it in an earlier blog post here. TAUC’s industry magazine, The Construction User, covered the pitch battle. Read the story from the magazine below.
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.
The Knowmadics Cyber Security of Excellence at Groover Labs
In early November, we hosted the launch of Knowmadics’ Cyber Center of Excellence at Groover Labs. There were more than 90 people on hand to hear from U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, Knowmadics CEO Paul Maguire, Greater Wichita Partnership CEO Jeff Fluhr, and our co-founder Curt Gridley.
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.
Narwhal Ventures funds GreenField Incorporated’s Robot Fleet
Narwhal Ventures participated in a round of funding for GreenField Incorporated (formerly GreenField Robotics) to expand its fleet of robots to replace chemicals in broadacre agricultural applications, which accounts for over three hundred million acres in the United States alone.
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.
FlagshipKansas.Tech is partnering with Microsoft to host an UpSkill-A-Thon
FlagshipKansas.Tech is partnering with Microsoft to host an UpSkill-A-Thon. Professionals looking to upskill and students ages 16+ can participate for a chance at winning cash prizes.
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.
Welcome to the Neighborhood, Bike Walk Wichita
Bike Walk Wichita recently moved in across the street from us, so we want to welcome them to the neighborhood! If you’re not familiar with them, Bike-Walk Wichita is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform Wichita into a more livable, accessible, and connected city by making biking and walking safe, equitable, and appealing.
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.
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.