Kansas City Among the Fastest Growing Startup Cities
With an entrepreneur growth rate of 22.97 percent, Kansas City is the third fastest growing startup community in the world, according to StartUpDigest.com.

Kansas City Named a Top 25 Tech-Heavy U.S. City
The KC region’s technology companies employed 64,600 people in 2009, making Kansas City no. 24 among the top 60 tech-heavy U.S. cities, according to a report released by TechAmerica Foundation. The Kansas City region stood out for its strong concentration of employees in telecommunications. This sector provided 20,900 jobs in 2009, making our region the eighth-largest market for telecom services in the country. This report is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and includes 15 counties in our bi-state area. Kansas City Business Journal

Why You Should Start a Company in Kansas City
FastCompany.com recently released an article highlighting the long term potential of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With notable homegrown entrepreneur success stories like Cerner and Garmin, and several new and existing entrepreneurial programs in place, Kansas City gives startup aspirants major benefits and options.

To read the full articles, visit KCnext.com/News .

The center is designed to “provide a true roll-up your sleeves workshop where partners and enterprise customers work side by side to develop commercially viable offerings based on M2M technology.”

Popstar Networks digital media software solutions and our wireless broadband service — designed for digital signage networks — are both featured within the new collaboration center.

Read more.

Leveraging the Popstar Networks Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery of digital media products, along with extensive network services understanding, Cinema Scene is effectively distributing eight terabytes of media-rich data annually from one central location.

“Major Hollywood studios and corporations of all types rely on us to reach and interact with consumers every day through our digital signage network,” said Joe Ross, Managing Principal of Cinema Scene Marketing. “Our relationship with Popstar Networks allows us to meet this need by speeding content development and effectively delivering bandwidth-intensive media to specific locations across the country. Ongoing use of Popstar Networks digital signage software and digital media services gives us confidence to know we can continue our growth by delivering highly relevant content to even more theaters and theater-goers.”

Through the partnership, Popstar Networks combines SaaS based digital signage software, networking services, hardware design, and overall technical support for the Cinema Scene Digital Media Network.  Using the Popstar FrontStage^TM content management solutions suite, the Cinema Scene Digital Media Network delivers a variety of digital signage solutions, including Cinema Scene’s TrailerVision^TM product playing enhanced studio movie trailers, living posters and corporate advertising.

“Cinema Scene Marketing continues to demonstrate a solid understanding of how to effectively reach movie-going consumers using an extensive digital signage network, and we are certainly very pleased to play such a strategic role in their success”, said Tom Reed, President and CEO of Popstar Networks.   “We believe the expertise and energy of our collective team will continue to push the boundaries of powerful in-theater marketing,” he said.

Cinema Scene Marketing, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, is an industry leader in driving theatrical promotions for major studios and corporate sponsors.  Cinema Scene’s in-lobby promotions generate memorable brand exchanges with highly desirable entertainment consumers.  The Cinema Scene Digital Media Network provides advertisers the opportunity to entertain movie audiences via next generation media platforms in an organized network of cinemas covering key U.S. markets.  More information can be obtained at www.cinemascenemarketing.com.

Download the PDF version of this release.

As part of this alliance, Avnet’s Embedded Solutions group will distribute Popstar’s Frontstage™ software solutions suite of products and services, which seamlessly delivers and manages highly engaging passive and interactive digital media content across a variety of networks in the U.S. and Canada. Popstar will recommend Avnet’s extensive display and player hardware line, along with its world-class integration, installation and maintenance support services. Both companies bring formidable expertise to consult and work closely with partners and their end customers in the design and deployment of extensive digital media networks.

“Popstar’s growing reputation and the technical sophistication of its signage deployments became apparent as we searched for the right digital signage software company to align with Avnet. The demand for interactive digital signage is growing rapidly, and Popstar understands how to deliver a unique, intuitive and powerful interactive experience utilizing a wide variety of digital media assets,” said Mike Gaeta, Vice President, Supplier Marketing, Embedded Solutions, for Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. “Popstar’s commitment to excellence complements Avnet’s culture. They embrace and understand the importance of the content message, plus possess the knowledge and software technology platform to team effectively with Avnet to engineer and deploy the right experience for the customer.”

“Avnet is a well-respected, global solutions distribution and integration company with impressive technical and financial resources,” said Don Selmon, Popstar’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The breadth and depth of Avnet’s digital signage product and services offerings, along with the dedicated professionalism and resources of the Avnet team, certainly have us convinced that our alliance will deliver an outstanding result and value for our clients.”

Popstar Networks, Inc., headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, is the developer of the Popstar Frontstage™ Digital Signage Platform, combining digital media technology and creative content development experience with a steadfast commitment to customer service. Popstar works with clients to develop the right digital signage strategy and solution for their “point-of-presence” (POP). Popstar’s digital media products and services, including passive, interactive, creative and mobile solutions are engaging audiences in a variety of market applications, including healthcare, QSR/Fast Casual, entertainment and retail markets across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit us at www.popstarnetworks.com.

Media contact:
Stacey Morse
Popstar Networks, Inc.
Phone: 913-747-6300
Fax: 913-747-0440
staceym@popstarnetworks.com
www.popstarnetworks.com

Read the Miami Beach Convention Center Case Study

The new digital signage solution enhances the visitor experience by providing up-to-date information on event activities and local sponsors and attractions

KANSAS CITY, MO (February 8, 2010) — Popstar Networks, a leader in the digital media industry, and Global Spectrum,  the world’s fastest growing facility management firm, recently partnered in designing and installing a state-of-the-art digital signage solution in the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC).   The complex project, which includes fourteen Samsung 63’ and three Samsung 50’ plasma screens strategically placed in high traffic locations throughout the convention center, was commissioned to enhance the visitor experience by making information easily available to visitors.  Popstar’s FrontStage™ software solution provides information on MBCC and its surrounding attractions, center sponsors, current and upcoming events, and has been very well received.  However, the most salient benefit has been the supplemental revenue generation resulting from the sales of advertising space on the venue’s screens. “We are very pleased with the interest and additional revenue that the digital signage has brought from our sponsors, and expect to achieve a solid ROI with the increased sales of signage advertising that we are experiencing,” states Bob Balsam, General Manager.

With the vast size of the MBCC (1.3 Million Total Gross Sq. Ft.) and the large number (over 750,000) and diversity of the people who visit annually, it was imperative that the parties collaborated in developing an overall strategy and identifying all project requirements before developing a prototype for MBCC to review.  This process allowed the installation to be developed to specifically meet MBCC’s requirements.  Bob adds: “Popstar provided a total solution and the project was an effortless deployment.  Popstar listened when we talked about our needs, realized our goals and exceeded our expectations.  We are overly pleased with how the project came together and the follow-up provided by the Popstar team.”    “Working with the Global Spectrum team and the MBCC staff was a pleasure and we are thrilled that the solution has not only met their goals, but offered them a way to quickly create a significant new revenue stream for the venue,” says Don Selmon, Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Popstar.   “We look forward to continuing to work with the Global Spectrum team on rolling out additional implementations in the coming year”.

ABOUT GLOBAL SPECTRUM

Global Spectrum (http://www.global-spectrum.com) is the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 75 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, a regional sports programming network, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC- TV. For more information, visit http://www.global-spectrum.com/ or call 215-389-9587.

ABOUT MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER

Located in the heart of the art deco district of South Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) boasts over 1,000,000 square feet of flexible space, including; over 500,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, over 100,000 sq. ft. of versatile pre-function area space and 70 meeting rooms comprised of 127,000 sq. ft. Major annual trade shows include the Jewelers International Showcase (three times annually) and the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference/Expo. The MBCC annual calendar also boasts some of the nation’s premiere public events, including America’s largest consumer show, the Miami International Boat Show, the South Florida International Auto Show, currently the third largest in the United States, and North America’s most important contemporary art fair, Art Basel Miami Beach. For more information, visit http://www.miamibeachconvention.com or call 305-673-7311.

ABOUT POPSTAR NETWORKS

Popstar Networks, Inc., headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, is a leader in designing and implementing customized digital media solutions – enabling clients to communicate their unique messages and incorporate digital signage into overall marketing and communications strategies. Since its founding in 2003, Popstar has revolutionized the digital media industry with its customer-first process for developing dynamic and interactive digital signage networks. Popstar has also set a new standard for engaging audiences with exciting interactive media applications. Its flexible technology, software development, and creative visual designs have set the trend for the industry, led by the FrontStage™ Player, FrontStage™ Server, and SmartContent™ products and complemented by BackStage℠ – their comprehensive strategic consulting process. For more information, please visit us at http://www.popstarnetworks.com.

Media contact:
Stacey Morse
Popstar Networks, Inc.
Phone: 913-747-6300
Fax: 913-747-0440
staceym@popstarnetworks.com
http://www.popstarnetworks.com

Download release as PDF.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (January 18, 2010) — Samsung and Popstar Networks announced today that they will endeavor to closely collaborate on future interactive digital signage media networks.

“We have been following Popstar’s digital signage deployments, particularly several recent interactive deployments utilizing Samsung displays, for quite some time. Popstar truly understands how to deliver a unique, intuitive and powerful interactive experience utilizing a wide variety of digital media assets,” said Russell Young, Samsung’s Senior Manager of Strategic Alliances. “We believe Popstar is one of the emerging digital signage software companies to keep an eye on. They really embrace and understand the importance of well-delivered content and they definitely possess the knowledge and the software platform to engineer and deploy the right interactive experience for the client.”

“We are very pleased to enter into an even stronger relationship with Samsung,” said Jeff Dahlstrom, Popstar’s VP of Business Development. “We believe Samsung has distanced themselves from the rest of the digital display field with the depth and innovation that their line-up of display technology represents today. We always receive consistent and reliable performance when our clients choose Samsung. They help us provide the most cost-effective and engaging interactive experience,” he said.

About Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of two business units: Digital Media & Communications and Device Solutions. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Popstar Networks, Inc., headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, is the developer of the Popstar Frontstage™ Digital Signage Platform, combining digital media technology and creative content development experience with a steadfast commitment to customer service. Popstar works with clients to develop the right digital signage strategy and solution for their “point-of-presence” (POP). Popstar’s browser-based digital signage, interactive kiosk and creative solutions are engaging audiences in a variety of market applications, including healthcare, QSR/Fast Casual, entertainment and retail and markets across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit us at http://www.popstarnetworks.com.

Media contact:
Stacey Morse
Popstar Networks, Inc.
Phone: 913-747-6300
Fax: 913-747-0440
staceym@popstarnetworks.com
http://www.popstarnetworks.com

Download release as PDF.

This is a good article from Alan C. Brawn on needs analysis and determining the objective for your digital signage.

Crown Center Case Study

See below the  interactive solution that was developed for the project. To play, right click on the demo and click play.