Think Big Partners

bizperc Coworking Space Hosts Entrepreneur Showcase Feb. 16

2012-02-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

It's that time again: Time for you to check out the startup creation process and the KC entrepreneur scene at bizperc!

At bizperc, we’ve noticed a “coworking craze.” Entrepreneurs love coming into our space to work with like-minded startups, accelerate with the Think Big Partners team and work in an inspiring and modern coworking space.

We’re changing the way businesses are built...and we want YOU to see it for yourself!

On Thursday, February 16, Think Big Partners is hosting the bizperc Showcase and group tour from 4:00-5:30PM at 1800 Baltimore (starts on the 4th floor) in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, Missouri.

At the Showcase, you will have the chance to interactively tour Kansas City’s modern coworking space and business accelerator, get a behind-the-scenes look at the startup creation process, showcase your own entrepreneurial ventures and learn how Think Big Partners is changing the way businesses are built...and why.

Evening Agenda:

4:00 Meet Think Big Partners: the company that’s building companies

4:15 Tour the bizperc coworking space and see where the magic happens

5:00 Showcase your own entrepreneurial venture on bizperc’s 6^th floor with a gorgeous view of downtown KC

Experience coworking and entrepreneurship on a whole new level. Register today for the bizperc Showcase powered by Think Big Partners and join us on Thursday, February 16 from 4:00 to 5:30PM: http://bizpercshowcaseFeb12.eventbrite.com.

Can't make it next Thursday? Don't worry! bizperc Showcases will take place every month! Stay tuned for the next Showcase announcement.

Questions? Call 816-842-5244, email Ann DeAngelo (adeangelo@thinkbigpartners.com) or Sarah Snyder (ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com).

Don’t forget to follow bizperc on Twitter (@bizperc)!

What goes on at bizperc anyway? Great question...and we don't blame you for asking. But with over 60 tenants in our space, the better question is "what isn't going on at bizperc?" Last week, one of our standout tenants, LightEdge, made some pretty big cloud computing announcements and has opened its data center doors to the world (via online video!). Check out these cool announcements from LightEdge...and if you run into the team during the Showcase, be sure to give them a pat on the back.

LightEdge Completes SSAE 16 Data Center Controls Examination
LightEdge Data Center Video Tour

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KCCowork Brings Coworking, Collaboration (and Beer Pong!?) to Prairie Village

2012-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

This week, Kansas City's newest coworking space opened in Prairie Village. The space is known as KCCowork, and its goal is to bring together suburban entrepreneurs, innovators and startups for day-to-day collaboration and networking.

The KCCowork space opened with a bang with a Happy Hour on Wednesday. With appearances by the Five Elms Capital, Legal Sonar, Think Big Partners, bizperc tenants and other KC entrepreneurs, the Happy Hour proved that Prairie Village was in need of a coworking space.

The evening was laid-back with an interactive famous entrepreneur guessing game, delicious sangria, tours of the coworking space and beer pong. That's right, beer pong.

Check out some of the pictures I was able to capture of KC's newest coworking space:

KCCowork mimics bizperc's bright orange walls. Perfect for creativity.

KCCowork provides a large kitchen area (and beer pong capabilities!)

Desks facing one another promote entrepreneurial collaboration.

A separate coworking room for the Legal Sonar team.

KCCowork Happy Hour brings in entrepreneurs for tours and cocktails.

An intense game of "which famous entrepreneur is on my back".

Networking at KCCowork.

Entrepreneurs and startups already collaborating at KCCowork.

KCCowork also provides private conference rooms.

Bonus! KCCowork has a gym right down the hall for tenants looking to get buff.

Interested in joinined a coworking space? Be sure to contact Think Big Partners to learn about the Think Big Nation Network and which coworking space is right for you!

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What Will SEIN Analytics Do with $100,000 Gigabit Challenge Prize?

2012-02-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Since SEIN Analytics & Asset Management walked away with the $100,000 Grand Prize at The Gigabit Challenge Finale earlier this year, the Brooklyn-based startup has begun developing plans for 2012 that include hiring, creating deals, marketing and formulating new business structures.

Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge was a global business plan competition looking for new applications to disrupt technology on the Google Fiber Network. Prizes at the awards ceremony on January 18, 2012, included the $100,000 Grand Prize, which was awarded to SEIN Analytics & Asset Management, the People’s Choice Award, and a $250,000 Born Global Prize.

“I launched our prototype and turned my attention to getting feedback from others,” said Samuel Belu-John, CEO and Founder of SEIN Analytics. “I looked for places to present our idea to. I signed up for iStart and saw The Gigabit Challenge. There was a natural fit to what Google Fiber could do and what we were doing.”

SEIN Analytics & Asset Management is a new venture founded by a structured finance veteran and a team of dedicated designers, strategists and programmers. SEIN develops a data-centric cloud application for analyzing and managing asset-backed securities (ABS). The software standardizes loan level data and displays it in an easy to use form that financial institutions and investors can use to track and analyze ABS investments.

In a recent Silicon Prairie News article, Chris Bernard, startup specialist at Microsoft and Gigabit Challenge judge, commented that “...no other company did as good a job of showing how the cloud and fiber could help businesses solve big data problems that were previously the providence of big data centers and deep pocketed customers.”

“When we were watching other presenters [during The Gigabit Challenge], we felt as if our numbers were too small,” said Suk-Hyon Paek, COO of SEIN Analytics. “But the truth of the matter is, our numbers were realistic. We were very down-to-earth about our idea. Everything we presented was based on reality.”

With the $100,000 Grand Prize under their belts, the SEIN Analytics team plans on putting every penny from The Gigabit Challenge into launching their business. In 2012, Belu-John hopes to hire more developers to assist him in flushing out SEIN. The rest of the SEIN Analytics team plans to handle the future of the company by focusing on building strategic alliances with potential partners, increasing the deal database, refining the existing pricing models, developing a staffing plan, and creating marketing and sales initiatives.

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AudioAnywhere Snags PIPELINE Innovator of the Year Award and Saves the Music Industry

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Kyle Johnson, CEO and founder of AudioAnywhere, walked away with the Innovator of the Year award at the PIPELINE event last week in Kansas City, Kansas. Johnson was selected after a competition that included a refined business plan, a pitch to an expert panel and a score carried over from performance during the fellowship year.

AudioAnywhere was inducted into PIPELINE’s 2011 class where it underwent an intense startup curriculum that included pitch practice, mentorship and coaching. The 2012 Innovator of the Year event was Johnson’s final milestone as a participant in the PIPELINE program.

“Winning is an honor,” said Johnson after the event. “This gives us the opportunity to help out with the PIPELINE program. With the announcement comes a great deal of expectation and I will continue to be a part of the program. It’s an honor and an obligation, but I am excited to help out with it.”

According to audience members and judges, Johnson not only prepped to deliver his AudioAnywhere pitch, but he was also ready to engage in lively question-and-answer discussions with judges.

“It was fun being questioned by Lars Perkins,” commented Johnson. “We had a lively exchange and it entertained the audience. It was a good interaction. But at the end, I thought to myself, ‘I’m either first or last!’”

AudioAnywhere, a client of Kansas City-based startup accelerator Think Big Partners, has built an advertising platform to more effectively monetize free media content, which in effect, could contribute to reviving the online music industry. AudioAnywhere will provide online music sites with better advertisements that generate more revenue per song. With AudioAnywhere’s solution, the music industry could yield 10 times the income of today’s online audio ads. WithAudio Anywhere, online advertisements are produced to reach the right target market on sites such as Spotify and Pandora.

With the Innovator of the Year title under his belt, Johnson hopes to effectively launch and grow AudioAnywhere this year. Once AudioAnywhere has launched, it will begin to generate revenue and eventually, help online music companies like Pandora and Spotify improve their own financial situations. Johnson also hopes to kick start his capital campaign and continue his venture capital push.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” said Johnson of the win. “A lot of folks believe in our company, but we had no idea we would win. Now, we can help to save the music industry.”

Follow AudioAnywhere! @AudioAnywhere
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How Can Something So Small Create Something So Fast? Google Fiber to the Naked Eye

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

On Monday, Google reported that it was installing “thousands of miles of” fiber optic cable for the development of the super-fast Google Fiber network. Kansas City could not be more excited.

The lines are currently being installed between Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri and will soon branch out to all Kansas City consumers on both sides of the state line. Once the fiber is live, Kansas Citians will have access to Internet that is 100 times faster than current broadband solutions.

But what does the Google Fiber look like? According to Kevin Lo, the Google executive heading up the project, each cable contains many thin glass fibers, approximately the width of a human hair. Google is currently taking these cables and weaving them into a fiber backbone. It’s a new type of high-speed infrastructure that Kansas City is happy to embrace. Google is then installing these cables into the upper portion of a utility pole (a space that would normally be used for electrical lines). When officially launched, the Google Fiber network will provide speeds of 1 Gbps.

“We’ve measured utility poles; we’ve studied maps and surveyed neighborhoods; we’ve come up with a comprehensive set of detailed engineering plans; and we’ve eaten way too much barbecue,” said Kevin Lo.

Welcome to Kansas City, Google.

Follow GoogleConnectsKC! @GoogleinKC
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Blogging for Bucks: How Your Startup's Blog Can Bring in Cash

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Blogging brings in a lot of benefit. Not only do blogs direct potential customers to a startup’s site, but they can also help sell a product, inform readers about a service, or act as a megaphone for thoughts and opinions.

But did you know that blogging can bring in the bucks too?

It’s true. If done effectively, blogging can generate extra cash for your startup. And when you’re first starting out, any money is better than no money at all!

Many startups may already have an established blog (but if you don’t, be sure to read this article before you get started: The Blog Brawl: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Enter the Blogosphere). Blogs can be easily set up through sites like Blogger, Wordpress or even Joomla.

Once your blog has been created, generating interesting and consistent content is key. When you write about topics that people are interested in reading, more users will visit your blog. And when more users visit your blog, you have more potential customers in your market. With patience, a blog can bring in thousands and thousands of viewers a month (or even a week!)—and that’s a lot of potential new customers.

Once your blog has built a strong readership and is well-received by the public, it may be time to look into generating blog bucks. But how?

1. Blog Ads

Blogs can make money through the display of advertisements. Many bloggers use Google AdSense, a service that pays based on how many readers have clicked on a blog’s advertisements (and it’s free!). Other bloggers use CPM-driven tools that pay by the total number of impressions the advertisements receive. For this, a startup can use ContextWeb, AdClickMedia, Adbrite or Adify.

If you’re interested in taking your blog advertisements a step further, look into BlogAds. BlogAds hook bloggers up with would-be advertisers and levies a commission in return for ad placements.

The biggest concern that most startups have about advertising on a blog is that the advertisements will not match up with the blog’s theme or topic. But tools such as AdSense account—the service pinpoints certain words in the blog so that the content matches the advertisements.

2. Direct Ad Sales

Selling space directly to advertisers can be a challenge, but it is possible! With a highly-accredited blog, many advertisers may want to “buy” space on your blog, much like a newspaper or magazine. Find services and products that tie into your niche market in order to place direct ad sales on your blog.

3. Affiliate Programs

Blogs can serve as a conduit between readers and online sites that offer goods and services. One of the best affiliate programs out there today comes from Amazon.com (Amazon Associates on Blogger).

When a blog mentions or reviews a book, it can link to the Amazon.com page so that readers can buy the book with a few clicks of the mouse. When people find the book on your blog and then purchase them from Amazon.com, you get paid!

Other companies with great blogging affiliate programs include FlexOffers, LinkConnector, Commission Junction, Shareasale, E-Junkie, LinkShare, ING Direct, Ebates, Perkstreet Financial, Mint.com and Sharebuilder.

4. Inbound Marketing

Many blogs exist just so that users can shout their opinions and thoughts to the world. But what about using your blog to generate business? That’s what inbound marketing is all about.

A startup can expand blog thoughts and opinions by talking about how a particular service or product can create solution or solve a problem. By providing a call-to-action at the bottom of the blog, readers may feel a sense of urgency to look at your website or call your new startup. Use effective search engine optimization, link building and keywording to bring more people to your blog—you never know; this could produce more customers!

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bizperc Tenant Wins Free Introduction Video from Motion Machine Studio

2012-02-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Congratulations to Rob Rogers of Print 3 Technologies! This bizperc tenant recently won a free webpage introduction video courtesy of Motion Machine Studio. How did Rob win? He entered into bizperc's raffle, of course. Every time a tenant comes to work at bizperc, he or she has the opportunity to fill out a raffle ticket. At the end of the month, bizperc staff draws one lucky tenant to win a cool startup prize!

But why host an intro video on your startup's webpage? They're engaging, they're interactive and they get found in search engines. Learn more about why your startup may want an online video intro from Dead Ready: http://www.deadready.co.uk/blog/why-have-an-intro-video-on-your-website/.

This month, Rob won an introduction video for his website. Congratulations to Rob and thanks to Motion Machine Studios for providing this cool prize.

Want to get in on the coworking (and the winning!)? Check out bizperc right now at www.bizperc.com.

Follow bizperc! @bizperc
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

The DNA of a Future Entrepreneur

2012-02-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

We've all heard the characteristics of an entrepreneur—they’re driven, hard-working, passionate and quite frankly, a bit obsessed. But at the same time, most entrepreneurs don’t know that they’re going to be an entrepreneur at a young age. So what does the DNA of a potential entrepreneur look like? We caught up with Devin Mirfasihi, law student at the University of Kansas, who has many characteristics of a future entrepreneur.

1. Future entrepreneurs want to do everything and kick ass at multitasking

Devin is the perfect example of a would-be entrepreneur because he juggles so many different activities. He started out as a finance student at KU and quickly landed a job on a Garmin Internet team. While working at the KC-based company for 2 years, Devin discovered that he could do even more, and decided to go to UMKC to study law. On the side, Devin is a student rep at Kaplan and has his real estate license.

So that’s finance, technology, law, student relations and real estate. A variety of different interests, but he seems to tackle them all with grace. Being able to juggle multiple interests and tasks is a sure sign of an entrepreneur.

“I tend to overextend myself,” says Devin. “But when I think about the future, I just want to have a business that helps a lot of people in a substantial way."

2. Future entrepreneurs know that work-life balance is important

Although many entrepreneurs struggle with a work-life balance, a majority of them do recognize that it is extremely important. Young, would-be entrepreneurs feel the same way. They know that in order to become a success, it’s important to juggle work, family, friends and hobbies as evenly as possible.

“I’m busy and I juggle a lot of things,” says Devin. “But my project management work keeps me organized. It’s also very important for me to be social. I can’t keep up mentally if I’m not being social with friends.”

But these friends are more than just buddies to hang out with on the weekends—they could be future business partners.

“I surround myself with smart friends,” says Devin. “I look forward to interacting and working with them in the future.”

3. Future entrepreneurs know the power of collaboration

Entrepreneurs are good at working in groups, are effective team leaders and know the power of collaboration. Devin commented that he is only as strong as the people he surrounds himself with.

“I don’t do everything myself,” he explains. “I leverage people and resources to get where I need to go.”

4. Future entrepreneurs love challenging tasks and problem-solving

For entrepreneurs, problem-solving is a part of everyday life. In fact, entrepreneurs strive on being challenged throughout the day. When stimulated with a challenge, entrepreneurs tend to go above and beyond to reach a solution.

“I always want to learn. I always want to be challenged,” notes Devin.

5. Future entrepreneurs don't love the corporate world

Almost every entrepreneur has been in the corporate world before—it could have been a short stint as an intern or a 25-year long career in business. Whatever the case may be, entrepreneurs can tell (usually early-on), that the corporate world is not for them.

“Law is pretty corporate,” explains Devin. “But if I do law, I would like to start my own law firm. It’s hard, but it’s doable. I like the flexibility and I like being able to control my own client base. When you start your own thing, you get to meet different people every day too.”

6. Future entrepreneurs are passionate right off the bat

If there’s one thing that current entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs share, it’s passion for an idea. Passion is the driving force that wakes entrepreneurs up at 3:00 in the morning to write down an idea. Passion is the reason why entrepreneurs spend 90+ hours a week on a business. Passion is the reason we see new successful businesses pop up around the world.

“I want to pick something I’m passionate about,” says Devin. “When I buy into a product, it’s easier to sell.”

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Pitch to Silicon Valley Investors: Apply for Think Big Partners' First Accelerator Class

2012-02-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Stay tuned, Kansas City entrepreneurs. Think Big Partners will soon be announcing the application process for its first ever accelerator class (read more about Think Big's latest announcement here).

This spring, Think Big Partners will select candidates from The Gigabit Challenge and other startups to participate in its first accelerator class. The class will undergo an intense and accelerated mentorship process with an emphasis on investor pitch perfection. Once the class has sharpened its skills, the entrepreneurs will be invited to Think Big Partners' Flyover Fieldtrip, a trip to Silicon Valley to meet with Bay-area investors and funders.

Stay tuned for more information about Think Big Partners accelerator class and get involved. Call 816-842-5244 if you have any questions or to learn more.

Follow Think Big! @thinkbigKC
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Kauzu Kills It at the Gigabit Challenge and Leaves the Résumé for Dead

2012-02-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Since Kauzu walked away with a $250,000 convertible promissory note courtesy of Gramercy Private Equity at The Gigabit Challenge Finale, the Chicago-based startup has been developing new plans for 2012 including partnership development, product development, fundraising and hiring.

Think Big Partners’ Gigabit Challenge was a global business plan competition looking for new applications to disrupt technology on the Google Fiber Network. Prizes included the People’s Choice Award, a $100,000 Grand Prize and the $250,000 Born Global Prize, which was given to Kauzu by Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity.

As one of the most energetic and creative pitches during The Gigabit Challenge Finale on January 18, 2012, Kauzu captivated the audience and the judges with its unique spin on changing the US employment industry. Kauzu seeks to innovate the $170 billion industry by providing a dynamic, digital online environment with unique tools to create timely connections.

“This was a win for our team, and that’s all I really care about,” said Mitch Schneider, CEO, Founder and Chairman of Kauzu. “This gives my team a pat on the back. It also creates visibility and exposure. Gramercy, Silicon Valley Bank, Microsoft—they all want to see us succeed. The validation is amazing. It only propels our chance to succeed.”

Kauzu was one of the 17 Finalists to present at The Gigabit Challenge Finale in front of 17 esteemed judges from Kansas City and from across the nation.

“This was another company that did a fantastic job with their pitch and connecting with the audience,” said Chris Bernard, Gigabit Challenge judge, in a recent article in Silicon Prairie News. “I’m super eager to see what these guys do. I think they have some unique ideas and a fantastic team.”

Mitch Schneider, CEO of Kauzu.

Post-Gigabit Challenge, Kauzu hopes to continue to develop more partnerships both in and outside of Chicago. With these partnerships, Kauzu hopes to fund raise more effectively and more quickly to allow for cross-generating revenue. The startup also hopes to start the hiring process in May.

“This experience has helped us form new partners and has allowed us to provide value back to new startups,” said Schneider. “We are going to use other startup products so we can connect them with others too. We want to open doors for others just like people have done for us.”

In addition, Kauzu is planning another trip to Kansas City to connect with Think Big Partners’ accelerator and collaborative workspace and to strengthen more partnerships in Silicon Prairie. Schneider also mentioned a two-location startup launch in both Chicago and Kansas City.

“Not every day is fun,” admitted Schneider. “But at the end of the day, we all want to do this. If I had a million dollars in my pocket, I’d still do this. We do it because we believe in it and we think it’s fun.”

Follow Kauzu! @KauzuInc
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

KCCowork Happy Hour to Launch New Prairie Village Coworking Space

2012-02-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
If you're anything like us, you love coworking. You love the unexpected interactions. You love the inspirational atmosphere. You love the free coffee.

Now there's even more to love. Five Elms Capital is launching a coworking space in Prairie Village, Kansas called KCCowork, a Think Big Network Partner--and you're invited to the Happy Hour!

The KCCowork Happy Hour will take place on Wednesday, February 8 from 5:00-7:00pm. This networking event is open to all entrepreneurs and small business owners who are interested in coworking in the Prairie Village area. Come hungry! Appetizers and drinks will be provided during the event.

Join Think Big and Five Elms Capital next Wednesday to learn about what KCCowork is all about. Join us at 3500 W. 75th Street in Prairie Village and get ready to cowork!

Now's your chance to launch a coworking space in YOUR city! Contact Think Big Partners to learn more at info@thinkbigpartners.com. And in the meantime, check out bizperc, our first downtown coworking space: http://www.bizperc.com.

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LiveOn Joins Eye-Fi, IBM, Google & Tourism New Zealand in Competition for SXSW Technical Achievement Award

2012-02-01T07:15:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
LiveOn, a site that enables users to capture memories and share with future generations, has joined Eye-Fi, IBM, Google and Tourism New Zealand as a finalist for technical achievement at the South by Southwest Interactive Awards on March 13, 2012, in Austin, Texas.

South by Southwest (also coined as SXSW) Interactive is an event that features five days of presentations from entrepreneurs in emerging technology and spotlights the best new websites, video games and startup ideas. South by Southwest chose LiveOn among four other Finalists to win the Technical Achievement Award, which recognizes projects that are "re-inventing and re-defining the technical parameters of our online experience". This recognition has arrived three months after LiveOn launched its public beta site and four months after LiveOn was named a Global Entrepreneurship Week 50 company of 2011.

"We are honored to be recognized with these other cool technologies," said Ben Kittrell, LiveOn's Director of Development. "But we are the only ones that really change the way people use the Internet and perceive the Internet as a tool. We are trying to personalize the Internet."

LiveOn launched out of Kansas City, Missouri with the help of KC-based startup accelerator and mentorship-based collaborative workspace, Think Big Partners. According to LiveOn staff, the startup had an advantage going into the running for the South by Southwest awards because it has launched and grown out of Kansas City. Kansas City has become a breeding ground for entrepreneurs, startups and investors due to recent announcements such as Google Fiber, Think Big Partners' Gigabit Challenge, and new developments from The Kauffman Foundation. All initiatives are helping to launch and grow startups like LiveOn in and around Silicon Prairie. LiveOn believes that SXSW wanted more Kansas City-based startups in attendance due to the city's growing impact on the entrepreneurial community.

"We are looking forward to exploring more investment opportunities at South by Southwest," said Kittrell. "We want to get the site out there and make meaningful connections."

Linsey Grams, LiveOn's Director of Media and Communications, added, "It will be a good chance to see first-hand where the competition is heading. Staying abreast is half the battle."

The awards event will take place on March 13, 2012 in Austin, Texas and will coincide with the annual South by Southwest Interactive festival. For more information on South by Southwest, visit http://sxsw.com/.

Follow LiveOn! @LiveOnNow & @LiveOnRewind

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Moonlighting His Way to the Top: How this KC Entrepreneur Does It All

2012-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Kansas City-bred entrepreneur Chris Morris is what we like to call a “moonlighter”. Moonlighting, as defined by Wikipedia, is the practice of holding a secondary job in addition to one’s main job. But Chris Morris is doing more than just moonlighting—he’s moonlighting a few times over.

Morris is a service catalog administrator at HNTB by day, but a serial entrepreneur by night. In the little free time that he has, he enjoys working on his newest entrepreneurial venture, Instantly.in.

Instantly.in is a Twitter loyalty program that allows users to check-in on Twitter without the hassle of downloading apps like Foursquare. Instantly.in can also be utilized by people without smartphones.

As co-founder and developer for Instantly.in, Chris has been interested in developing new businesses since he can remember. But it wasn’t until one special Thaisday (Chris always gets Thai on Tuesdays with his coworkers and partners) where he met Michael Gelphman of KCITP. After that meeting, Chris decided to partake in Startup Weekend and had the opportunity to spend 54 straight hours working intensely on Instantly.in.

“I got great feedback at Startup Weekend,” said Chris. “It was a blast. I met cool people and the experience kick-started going back to working on Instantly.in. I would love to do it again.”

Chris enjoys moonlighting and keeps himself busy with Instantly.in, HNTB, other entrepreneurial ventures, classes at JCCC and judo. But according to Chris, finding the time for all of these interests isn’t all fun and games. Moonlighting fills up an entire day, which can be extremely exhausting. But what’s the hardest part for Chris?

“I’m doing so much! I don’t have to be busy, I just want to get a lot done,” he says. “The hardest part is the start and the finish. Not having dedicated time for the business is challenging, but this is my year to get things up and going and eventually finished.”

Get great tips on how to moonlight effectively from Think Big Partners! Dancing in the Moonlight: Happiness While Holding Two Jobs at Once

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Kauffman Super Bowl Commercial Asks Entrepreneurs, "Will It Be You?"

2012-01-31T08:05:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

In 1967, a 30-second commercial spot cost approximately $42,000 during the Super Bowl. In 2012, it costs about $3.5 million.

And although the costs seem outrageous, large companies still fork over millions and millions of dollars on Super Bowl advertisements. But who can blame them? Half of the country tunes into the Super Bowl just for the commercials alone. They're attention-grabbers. They're entertaining. They're memorable. Who could ever forget the Bud-Wei-Ser frog commercial? Or the young Darth Vader commercial for Volkswagon?

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is hoping to make the same memorable impression on viewers on this year's Super Bowl Sunday by launching its first-ever public service announcement aimed at sparking the interest of potential entrepreneurs.

The Kauffman PSA boldly asks the question that many entrepreneurs face every day: Will it be you?

The Kauffman Super Bowl ad, which was leaked online yesterday, guides interested entrepreneurs to Kauffman's newest site, willitbeyou.com, where it displays information for startups about inspiration, networking, creation, mentoring and capital raising. The website features popular resources provided by Kauffman including iStart (utilized in Kansas City's Gigabit Challenge business plan competition), Startup Weekend, Global Entrepreneurship Week, Startup America, UEP, Maker Faire, PIPELINE and many others.

"As jobs and the economy take center stage this election year, the Kauffman Foundation wants both policymakers and the public to be aware of the importance of entrepreneurs to solving our economic crisis," said Wendy Guillies, Kauffman's vice president of communications, in a recent press release. "The most-watched television event of the year is the ideal opportunity for Kauffman to inspire entrepreneurs and, in the spirit of Super Bowl advertising, to do so in a fun and accessible manner."

The Kauffman PSA validates the growing movement of entrepreneurship not only in Kansas City, but in hundreds of cities across the nation. Entrepreneurship is growing to a level that is so big that it needs to market in tandem with the most-watched event on television, the Super Bowl. This notion reinforces the fact that entrepreneurship is not just important, it's essential; essential for job creation, essential for a recovering economy, essential for overall growth.

The willitbeyou.com commercial from Kauffman will air on Super Bowl Sunday (January 5, 2012) in some of the nation's largest television markets including New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and of course, in Kauffman's own home of Kansas City.

The Kauffman Super Bowl commercial, which takes the form of Kauffman's popular "Sketchbook" theme, proudly states that the next great entrepreneur is out there...and it could be anybody. Will it be you?

Follow Kauffman! @KauffmanFDN
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Building the Silicon Prairie: Startup Kansas and Startup Missouri Launch Jan. 31

2012-01-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

A little less than a year ago, the Startup America Partnership was formed. The nationwide initiative strives to grow entrepreneurship and startup companies in every state. The partnership was founded with three main goals: 1) to provide valuable resources and connections to help young companies grow, 2) to support regional startup ecosystems throughout the country, and 3) to recognize startups as the drivers of our economy and their founders as American heroes.

This is all good and well, but what actions are participants making to actually make the Startup America goals a reality? We can talk the talk all we want...but will this organization walk the walk?

Kansas and Missouri have both taken the first step to make Startup America a reality. Both states have organized their own partnership networks known as Startup Kansas and Startup Missouri. Both networks hope to create hubs that combine existing entrepreneurs, investors, officials and coalitions into a central space to help boost entrepreneurship as a whole.

So we know what these two organizations are doing...but how are they going to do it?

It all starts on January 31, 2012, when Startup Kansas and Startup Missouri launch.

Startup Kansas
Winston/Meriwether of Topeka is launching Startup Kansas at the Topeka and Shawnee Country Public Library from 1:00 to 2:00pm. With a welcome from Matthew Gassen, President of Winston/Meriwether, a video from Magic Johnson, and speeches from Cameron Cushman and Riley Scott, Startup Kansas hopes to bring in some of Kansas' most passionate entrepreneurs, investors and startups.

Startup Missouri
Missouri is hoping to transform from the "Show Me State" into the "Grow Me State" during its Startup Missouri launch on January 31. The event will go from 11:00am-4:00pm at the Railway Exchange Building in St. Louis.

Will Startup Kansas and Startup Missouri help grow Kansas City into the most entrepreneurial city on earth?

Hey! That's cool! Startup Weekend and Tech Cocktail are going head-to-head to see who can recruit the most startups and become a member of Startup America. Learn more here.

Follow Startup Kansas! @StartupKS
Follow Startup Missouri! @StartupMO
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Young Missouri Entrepreneur Launches GolfSo and Columbia-based Incubator

2012-01-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Every once and awhile, an entrepreneur comes along who shows an overwhelming amount of passion, drive, creativity and determination that it takes over the room. It's people like this that make entrepreneurship contagious.

At Think Big, we come across these kind of entrepreneurs all the time. But when Corbin Umstattd of Columbia, Missouri swung by bizperc two weeks ago, we couldn't help but catch his startup fever.

Corbin has been immersed in the entrepreneurial world his whole life. His family is made up of entrepreneurs which helped drive him toward starting his own business, GolfSo.

Following graduation from Columbia College, Corbin collaborated with Randy Minchew and Terry Culver to create America's Golf Social Network, an online site that helps golfers come together, posts events, displays photos and gives timely status updates.

"GolfSo makes it easier for golfers to play together," explains Corbin. "It's a source of all content in the area for golf. But we've also made it social and techy."

Currently, GolfSo is collaborating with a marketing class at Columbia College to amplify its marketing plan. The students at Columbia College are helping to find GolfSo's target market, develop its SWAT analysis and pin down market trends. In addition, Corbin and his team at GolfSo are looking to develop strong partnerships in the golf world in and around Columbia.

"We want so many things out of this site," explains Corbin. "We are expecting a lot when it comes to media, content and technology. We want something that connects golfers all around."

Although Corbin was a golfer in high school, his passion is rooted most deeply in entrepreneurship. It wasn't until two years ago that he decided to put two and two together to create an entrepreneurial venture based around the game of golf. After finding his passion, Corbin attended Startup Weekend in both Columbia and in Kansas City. At Startup Weekend, Corbin began to analyze the startup environment in Columbia.

"I noticed that Columbia has great resources like Startup Weekend, SCORE, our tech center and the University of Missouri. But there is no middle ground for ideas to get to investors."

So (largely due to his entrepreneurial blood), Corbin set out to fix the problem. He found that the best solution would be to launch a business incubator in Columbia in order to assist entrepreneurs in the area. By making positive connections to movers-and-shakers and gaining valuable feedback from the community, Corbin will help to launch CoMo Incubator. CoMo Incubator will open its doors in March of 2012.

"I try to look at problems and opportunities within the community and work hard to create a solution," Corbin says. "It helps to have incredible talented people around me who think big as well."

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

What's up with Paruzia Post-Gigabit Challenge?

2012-01-26T07:13:00.000-08:00

David Eck and Jason Arnold of Paruzia Technologies celebrate their Gigabit Challenge win.

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Paruzia Technologies walked away with The People’s Choice Award during The Gigabit Challenge Finale on January 18, 2012 and is now amplifying its marketing initiatives, bringing in new clients and analyzing their ability to use Google Fiber post-Finale.

Despite being one of the only startups that didn’t focus on software development at the event, Paruzia Technologies snagged the People’s Choice Award at The Gigabit Challenge Finale by winning 33% of the public vote. Now that Paruzia has been honored with this award, the small business from Grandview, Missouri is making new plans for a successful 2012.

“We had to put sales on hold during The Gigabit Challenge,” said David Eck, co-founder of Paruzia Technologies. “We are now shifting gears and bringing in new clients. The Gigabit Challenge has allowed us to further develop our platform.”

The Gigabit Challenge, powered by Think Big Partners, was a global business plan competition looking for new applications to disrupt technology on the Google Fiber Network. Prizes included a $100,000 Grand Prize, a $250,000 Born Global Prize and The People’s Choice Award, which was won by Paruzia Technologies via online poll.

“The People’s Choice Award was the best award we could have won,” said Eck. “It proves we know how to rally people together, that people like us and that people trust us. That’s what’s most important. But in addition, we needed what we won! Now, we have a place like bizperc to go to and a place to bounce ideas off others. We are looking forward to partnering and coworking.”

Paruzia was one of the 17 Finalists to present at The Gigabit Challenge Finale in front of 17 esteemed judges from Kansas City and from across the nation.

“...in addition to giving the most polished and cohesive pitch at the event...[Paruzia Technologies] presented the best solution that could take advantage of fiber in Kansas City for small businesses,” said Chris Bernard, Gigabit Challenge judge, in a recent article in Silicon Prairie News.

Post-Gigabit Challenge, Paruzia Technologies has also decided to use The People’s Choice Award as a marketing tactic. The company is celebrating The Gigabit Challenge win by offering the first 10 qualified businesses a complimentary analysis on how to speed up workflow and how to cut costs. To learn more about this opportunity, visit http://www.paruzia.com and fill out the request form.

ABOUT PARUZIA TECHNOLOGIES:
Pauriza Technologies is a Grandview, Missouri-based cloud integrator that uses best-in-class products and services to deliver high-value IT solutions. Paruzia offers technology services such as hosted desktops and servers, backup, disaster recovery, email, collaboration, ERP, accounting, CRM and more. As modern-day abolitionists, Paruzia Technologies has a vision to end modern-day slavery and the sexual exploitation of women and children by giving 5% of revenue or 20% of its profit (whichever is greater) to anti-trafficking efforts in tandem with Exodus Cry. To learn more about Paruzia Technologies, visit http://www.paruzia.com.

Follow Paruzia! @Paruzia

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Global Coworking Unconference Conference Hits Austin this Spring

2012-01-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

According to Deskmag, the coworking movement has roughly doubled in size each year since 2006. This has been all too apparent in Kansas City (think bizperc, OfficePort, KCCowork, Beta Blox, etc.). The coworking craze has taken hold of the nation...and for good reason. Coworking gives entrepreneurs who would have never even met the chance to put their heads together almost every single day.

But just as there are thousands of entrepreneurs who cowork, there are also thousands of ambassadors who help make coworking happen. One of these organizations reigns from Austin, Texas...and they're the group that's hosting the coworking conference of the year--Global Coworking Unconference Conference on March 8, 2012.

What can coworkers expect at GCUC? According to the team behind the (un)conference, a lot. In fact, GCUC isn't just one conference--it's a conference and an unconference rolled into one. Allow us to explain.

GCUC will have a Conference Track, the perfect event for those who are new to coworking. During this event, noobies to the coworking world can ask pertinent questions and sit in on enlightening discussions from national coworking leaders (like NextSpace, Blankspaces, Loosecubes, Deskmag, CoCo, Launchpad Creatives and more).

The Unconference Track, on the other hand, is a bit more loosey-goosey. During this portion, attendees will have the chance to learn about new and exciting tools in the coworking world. The Unconference invites attendees to come ready to make passions realized and to share a vision for the community. But as GCUC proudly states, "it wouldn't be an unconference if we had a schedule!"...so prepare for anything!

To learn more about the Global Coworking Unconference Conference, be sure to check out the schedule, speakers and what to expect online at http://www.austingcuc.com/.

Follow GCUC! @AustinGCUC
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Kansas City Entrepreneur Cures Couch Potato Syndrome with Local Ruckus

2012-01-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. It's difficult to imagine a day without these social media sites. They help us connect with the world, unwind, and live our lives with a click of a mouse. But could these social media sites actually be "bad for us"?

Perhaps. Although social media promotes networking, connecting, staying in touch and getting involved, it also promotes one of the most enjoyable activities of all: laying on the couch.

Couch potatoes everywhere rejoice in the name of social media! Now there is a way to never leave the home, yet still connect on a daily basis with friends, family and the community (and what's even better: you don't have to walk across the living room to dial the phone!).

But, as we all know, this is a problem. Just because you're being "active" on Facebook doesn't mean you're maintaining great relationships with friends. Just because you're tweeting twenty times a day doesn't mean you're contributing to community discussions. Just because you've LinkedIn with five new people this week, doesn't mean you're making strong business connections.

Kansas City entrepreneur Adam Arredondo saw this as a huge problem...as well as a fantastic opportunity.

"I was annoyed with the amount of time I wasted on Facebook," says Adam. "I was equally annoyed with the little interaction I had with my friends. So, I decided to create something that changed that."

Cue Adam's creation of Local Ruckus.

"Local Ruckus is one place to find everything happening in the community," explains Adam of his business venture. "It gives you a reason to get off the couch. It is a technology to get people to interact in more active ways."

How so?

Local Ruckus posts and promotes local events going on in the community. It displays events, live music, volunteer opportunities, food and drink specials and coupons. It's Groupon meets community board meets happy hour meets volunteer organization. And it's the number one social network that fights against couch potato syndrome.

According the Adam, current CEO and founder of Local Ruckus, the online site does three different things:

It's a social media platform geared toward businesses and their content (rather than the individual such as Facebook or Twitter).
It gives a bigger voice to charity and volunteerism.
It gives a bigger voice to music, artists and smaller local businesses.

But all in all, Local Ruckus is all about local discovery.

"Local Ruckus gives people the opportunity to find what they want, when they want it," says Adam. "We're not reinventing the wheel here. We're trying to open people's eyes to the things they don't know they're looking for."

Currently, Local Ruckus is in Beta launch and is in undergoing the PRISM process with Kansas City's startup accelerator, Think Big Partners. The site is also currently experimenting with the coupon and volunteer opportunity sections and is reaching out to the public to submit ideas to help give the site maximum impact (submit your idea now!).

"I just want to have an impact on the community," says Adam. "I want to create something that matters. I'm interested in these kind of opportunities and I love being able to capitalize on them."

Adam has been through a lot of ups and downs in order to make his entrepreneurial dream a reality. Learn more about Adam's Local Ruckus venture in the Q&A below:

How did you come up with the idea for Local Ruckus?

"I ran Coffee News, a weekly event column for restaurants. When running it, I realized I had to go to 12 different sites to find the information I was looking for. It was ridiculous! Then, it clicked. That's when I saw the opportunity."

Why go into entrepreneurship in the first place?

"I never really had another thought other than to go into entrepreneurship. The corporate world put a bad taste in my mouth. I wanted that innovative, small business feel. I wanted to go into something that I was motivated by. In order to have that, I found out I had to do it on my own."

What has been the hardest part about starting up Local Ruckus?

"It takes an unhealthy amount of confidence in yourself and in the idea. You have gut checks all the time! Also, entrepreneurship makes you come to financial realities. That's a bit scary."

What about the best part?

"Getting launched and hiring our first employee...but it was also terrifying! Also, I really enjoy the day-to-day conversations with our programmer. It helps me learn how the product works and it helps me make my decisions."

What is one piece of advice you would give an entrepreneur?

"Don't half-ass anything. Be 100% committed. You can never research too much. Don't jump into partnerships. Product development is most important. I guess that's more than one...haha."

How do you Think Big?

"That's the only way that I think! I want to do something that has a major impact. I think of things in nationally viable terms. Success is a national product. Kansas City is just a stepping stone for us."

Follow Local Ruckus! @LocalRuckusKC

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Mixing Paint and Mingling Entrepreneurs: PIPELINE Innovator of the Year Comes to KC Jan. 26

2012-01-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

PIPELINE, the premier Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program for high-growth entrepreneurs, will launch the first ever Regional PIPELINE Fellowship class this Thursday, January 26th. In tandem with the launch, PIPELINE will also celebrate the past five years of accelerating the best and brightest technology entrepreneurs at the Innovator of the Year event. This event will bring together hard-to-pin-down successful entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, advisors and thought-leaders from around the nation for an all-day event of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The day will feature a competition for the PIPELINE Innovator of the Year, gathering of the entire alumni and mentor community, discussions with national leaders around trends and strategies for entrepreneurs and loads of high-impact networking. But what else can you expect at IOTY?

Innovator of the Year Competition
National Expert Panel on "Entrepreneurs and the Creative Edge"
Networking with local, regional and national attendees
Innovator of the Year event in the evening

Be sure to bring your creativity! The PIPELINE Innovator of the Year event has an art-focus this year and will blend together two of Kansas City's most prominent initiatives; art and entrepreneurship.

Register to buy a table or simply a ticket at this year's PIPELINE Innovator of the Year event! Register now to claim your seat (tickets often sell out!).

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Think Big Partners, Five Elms Capital and Legal Sonar Open Prairie Village Coworking Space

2012-01-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER AND CHIEF EDITOR

Think Big Partners, a technology-focused startup accelerator and mentorship-based collaborative workspace, has partnered with Five Elms Capital and Legal Sonar to launch a new coworking space in Prairie Village, Kansas this fall called KCCowork, A Think Big Network Partner.

By establishing a coworking space in Prairie Village, the three firms hope to increase the number of startups in Kansas, promote job growth and job creation in and around Kansas City and provide a place for entrepreneurs to collaborate and build successful businesses.

“We're excited about the opportunity to work alongside other early-stage and startup companies in the greater Kansas City area,” said Nathan Kurtz, co-founder and COO of Legal Sonar. “The location is great; but we chose to be here for the opportunity to collaborate with other entrepreneurs, the ability to interact regularly with the team at Five Elms Capital, and to have access to the amazing resources that Think Big Partners offers. We hope to attract similarly-minded entrepreneurs that want to drive and thrive alongside us, and we anticipate mutual benefits as we learn from each other and grow our businesses in Kansas City."

As a coworking space managed by the Five Elms team, KCCowork will allow tenants direct access to a Five Elms Capital, a Kansas City-based investor in high growth companies and will provide the opportunity to operate a new business with essential services and resources from Think Big Partners.

KCCowork will be Think Big Partners’ second coworking space. Its first coworking space, bizperc, is located in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City and provides a modern, Midwestern workspace for entrepreneurs, high-growth small businesses and startup companies. By adding another coworking space to its network, Think Big Partners hopes to continue to promote Midwestern entrepreneurship and help more startup companies get launched quickly and successfully.

To learn more about KCCowork, please visit http://www.KCCowork.com. If you would like to learn more about launching a coworking space in your area, please call (816) 842-5244 or visit http://www.bizperc.com.

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Photo Recap: The Gigabit Challenge Finale

2012-01-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SPENCER WALSH, PISCATOR MEDIA

We captured some of our favorite moments from The Gigabit Challenge Finale and want to share them with you. It was an incredible event for all involved--from judges to Finalists to volunteers...and especially for us, the Think Big team. Thanks to all for making this KC event a success!

Senator Jerry Moran announced his STOP SOPA stance and welcomed all to The Gigabit Challenge.

Finalists were competing for 3 prizes: The People's Choice Award, the Born
Global Award ($250,000) and the Grand Prize ($100,000).

Judges had the chance to ask each of the 17 Finalists questions about their business.

Don Peterson of BigIris.com presents his business idea.

Seak Meng Lay introduces judges to Photaic business plan.

Sarah Snyder and Scott Mize of Think Big Partners collaborate on event logistics.

Think Big t-shirts all around!

Swag bags and name tags courtesy of KCnext.

Ann DeAngelo and Laura Goede of Think Big Partners.

A huge thanks to Digital Evolution Group for providing webcasting capabilities.
To view footage of the Challenge: click here.

Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity decides on winner for
the $250,000 Born Global Award.

Mitch Schneider of Kauzu.

Herb Sih of Think Big Partners makes big announcements for 2012.

Kristin Kenney of RE:Cite.

Judges break in the green room.

Scott Hardiek of Virtual/Real World Wallet System.

The team of Paruzia Technologies celebrates winning the People's Choice Award.

Scott Mize awards Paruzia Technologies with People's Choice Award.

Kauzu celebrates winning the Born Global Award worth $250,000.

The team from SEIN Analytics is shocked to win the $100,000 Grand Prize.

SEIN Analytics and their $100,000 Grand Prize.

For more pictures from The Gigabit Challenge,

please visit our Facebook page.

Think Big Kicks Feet Up After Gigabit Challenge Finale...Or Not

2012-01-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

SEIN Analytics & Asset Management wins Grand Prize at Gigabit Challenge Finale.

Photo:The Kansas City Star

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
It didn't seem like it could get any bigger after Think Big Partners announced the People's Choice Award, the $100,000 Grand Prize and the $250,000 Born Global Award at The Gigabit Challenge Finale. But the truth of the matter is, last night's celebration was only the beginning for both the winners and for Think Big.

Sonia Lin of Kauzu may have said it best: "Winning this is really just the beginning. There is now even more to accomplish."

After being bombarded by various media outlets, fans and family/friends, the three winners of The Gigabit Challenge joined Think Big Partners and many attendees at an after party near Kansas City's Power and Light District. There, everyone from Google engineers to TGC judges enjoyed networking, cocktails and celebration.

But it wasn't all fun and games. After all, we are in the world of entrepreneurship. Therefore, Finalists and the team of Think Big Partners were still on-the-clock networking with the right people and interviewing with big-time media outlets such as TechCrunch, the Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Business Journal.

Although The Gigabit Challenge is now over, Think Big Partners is busier than ever. What can we do for the entrepreneurs who didn't win? How will we start working with SEIN Analytics and Asset Management to make their startup a big success? When will Google Fiber come so we can start the high-speed Fiber craze? Many questions still remain, but one thing is for sure: The Gigabit Challenge built awareness and buzz around Kansas City entrepreneurship and the coming of Google Fiber. And because of it, more entrepreneurs are able to accomplish more of their dreams...and that's why Think Big Partners is around in the first place.

A huge thank you to our volunteers, judges, advisory board members, vendors, live bloggers, attendees and contestants! The event would not have been possible without you.

Stay tuned for pictures, video and more posts about post-Gigabit Challenge happenings. Click here for information about The Gigabit Challenge winners.

Follow @GBChallengeKC

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Winners of The Gigabit Challenge Announced at Finale Event

2012-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
Sixteen finalists, 19 judges and 300 attendees made for an outstanding Gigabit Challenge Finale at the Kansas City Public Library. But among the buzz of networking attendees, the energetic music and a variety of influential speakers, there were 16 companies that had a completely different experience. They were lucky enough to compete in The Gigabit Challenge Finale and they experienced the most exciting moment of all; standing on stage for the announcement of three winners.

Congratulations to our three incredible Gigabit Challenge winners!

The People's Choice Award

Paruzia Technologies: Paruzia works with small businesses who are frustrated with their current IT support. Paruzia employs advanced technology solutions and works with business leaders who value making money, saving money and ensuring a position in the marketplace.

The "Born Global" Award

Kauzu: Kauzu is a company that seeks to innovate the US employment industry, a 170 billion dollar industry, mainly generated from staffing agencies, online job boards and other smaller related services. Kauzu belives in empowering the industry by providing a dynamic, digital online environment with unique tools to create timely connections. Think eHarmony.com + eBay.

The Grand Prize

SEIN Analytics & Asset Management: SEIN develops a cash-flow analytics application built on Adobe Flash Builder 4 in combination with a cloud database server. The goal is to address the major concerns of investors in the space. It will be the first fully functioning cloud computing ABS software that is both mobile and tablet friendly.

We would like to thank all of our partners, volunteers, vendors, attendees, judges, advisory board members and Finalists who joined us for The Gigabit Challenge Finale tonight. The event would not have been a success without you all. Best of luck in your future endeavors and make sure to continue to think big...with a gig!

Follow The Gigabit Challenge! @GBChallengeKC

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Think Big Partners Announces Think Big Nation, Think Big Conference, New Coworking Space

2012-01-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Just before the Awards Ceremony began for The Gigabit Challenge Finale, Herb Sih of Think Big Partners took the podium to deliver some of Think Big Partners' biggest announcements of 2012.

Think Big Nation

First, Think Big Partners announced the launch of Think Big Nation, the umbrella that will encapsulate the recent efforts of Think Big Partners. This includes the creation of more coworking spaces, additional entrepreneurial conferences, new partnerships, its first accelerator class and funding developments. Think Big Nation is a "not only for profit" effort that challenges how entrepreneurship works, how ideas become profitable and how companies get started.

Think Big Conference

Think Big Conferences have been around for 2 years now (with locations in Kansas City and Baltimore), but Think Big Partners plans on growing the Conference even further by taking it nationwide. Herb Sih announced that the Think Big Conference will branch out to other cities including Memphis and the potential of five other US cities that have mentioned interest in the event. To learn more and to bring Think Big to your city, please click here.

Coworking Space

Over a year ago, Think Big Partners launched its first coworking space known as bizperc in the Crossroads District of Kansas City. In order to facilitate the growth of entrepreneurship in the area, Think Big Partners and Five Elms Capital are launching a second coworking space called KCCowork. The new coworking space is a Think Big Network Provider that will launch in Prairie Village, Kansas this Fall.

First Accelerator Class

This year, Think Big Partners will also reveal its first accelerator class, which will be made up of a handful of high-growth startups (some of which from The Gigabit Challenge Finale) to work alongside Think Big Partners. Those selected for the accelerator class will be mentored for effective presentations and pitches and then will be traveling to Silicon Valley to meet with investors and funders with Think Big.

Funding

Speaking of funding...Think Big Partners also announced the development of a fund which will be accessible to entrepreneurs everywhere. The fund is being put in place to better facilitate the growth of entrepreneurship in the Midwest and across the country and to make capital more accessible to entrepreneurs involved with Think Big initiatives.

Stay tuned for more announcements to learn how you can join the Think Big Nation.

Follow Think Big! @thinkbigKC

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig