Nitride Solutions signs Wichita building lease as it looks to finish raising capital

A start-up advanced materials firm has nearly finished its effort to raise $2 million in private equity to fund its development work through the next 12 to 18 months.

Jeremy Jones, CEO of Nitride Solutions Inc., says the company has raised $500,000 so far and expects to have the balance of its funding in hand within the next several weeks.

The firm is confident enough in its prospects that it signed a three-year lease on a 14,000-square-foot office and industrial facility at 3333 W. Pawnee.

“It really fit the bill,” says Jones, a former executive at Koch Genesis.
Click here to read the entire article at the Wichita Eagle.

PIPELINE Listed as Key Entrepreneurial Initiative by Inc. Magazine

Inc. Magazine reached out to PIPELINE as itcovered the nation to find cutting edge entrepreneurial initiatives in its "Where Great Ideas are Born" story, May 2010 edition. You can view the online version of the article here.

Local Reinvestment: Archer Technologies founders put money back in Kansas City Tech Firms

Less than two months after selling Archer Technologies LLC, co-founder and CEO Jon Darbyshire is pouring some of the proceeds back into the local technology scene.

Darbyshire said Feb. 22 that he and his wife will invest around $200,000 in each of five area companies — a total of about $1 million.

After combing through a group of eight candidates, Darbyshire chose AthletixNation Inc., ImmunoGenetix Therapeutics Inc., Mygistics Inc., KC BioMedix Inc. and Data Locker LLC. Click here to read the article in the Kansas City Business Journal.

Data Locker IT Security Firm gets $1.2M, expertise from 'dream team'

It’s one thing to get deep-pocketed investors to back your startup. It’s even better when they can provide industry expertise along with cash.

That’s the bonus scenario for DataLocker Inc., a Lenexa-based technology company that recently closed on $1.2 million in financing from three bigwigs in the computer security realm. Click here to read the article from the Kansas City Business Journal.

2008 Innovator, Todd Gentry, makes Good Housekeeping's Top 10 product list of 2010

FireWire, from Inno-Labs, is a flexible skewer used for grilling kabobs. It went up against more than 1,000 products for a spot on the list. Click here to see the article from Good Housekeeping.

Innovator of the Year Highlights

To see more memorable photos and read about other highlights from Innovator of the Year, click here.

Status Change Means PIPELINE Can Cast Wider Net for Funding

A program started by Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. to groom the state's most promising technology and bioscience entrepreneurs has become its own entity.

PIPELINE, formerly known as KTEC Pipeline, has become a 501(c)3 nonprofit, allowing it to seek funding from other sources other than just KTEC, a state agency.
Click here to view entire article.

First PIPELINE Exit: Rush Tracking Sells to Pharos Capital Group

"At a time when most people are trying to skimp, to save every nickel they can, we will be able to push forward," President Toby Rush said in an interview.

Rush Tracking expects to hire as many as six people in sales and development during the next six months or so, he said. The company employs 20 to 30 people, including contractors.

The greatest attraction for Pharos, which has $600 million in capital under management, was Rush Tracking's management team, Jim Phillips, a partner with Pharos, said in an interview. The company is a long-term investor, and probably will be involved with Rush Tracking for five to eight years, he said. Click here to view entire article.

Click here to view Wichita Eagle article.

Click here to view Kansas City Star article.

2009 Innovator, Brian Pettey, President of RobotZone, Expands Into New Building

A home-grown Winfield industry is expanding into a new building.

RobotZone is planning to move into a new, 27,000-square-foot metal building east of the Winfield Industrial Park, according to president Brian Pettey.

Pettey started the company in the mid-1990s as he was completing his bachelor’s degree at Southwestern College.

The new building now under construction will house the company’s expanded research and development center and its manufacturing, office and warehouse space. Click here to view entire article.

2009 Innovator, Cason Coplin, Wins Competition at Clean Energy Venture Summit in Austin, Texas

At a time when money for startup companies is difficult to come by, a collection of curious venture capitalists and eager entrepreneurs came together in Austin on Thursday in hopes of making connections and deals.

More than 400 people met at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on the University of Texas campus for the third annual Clean Energy Venture Summit. Click here to view entire article.

2008 Innovator, Todd Gentry, Featured in Wichita Eagle

Winfield entrepreneur Todd Gentry thinks it's a matter of time before his company will be able to exit one of the first products it helped to develop and market.

Gentry, president and founder of Inno-Labs, said Tuesday that his company's Fire Wire — a stainless steel flexible skewer designed for grilling — is already in 1,200 stores across the country and will be in at least 6,000 more next year. Click here to view entire article.

Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Announces New Commerce Initiatives to Foster Innovation and Entrepreneurship

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced his plans to create a new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Department of Commerce and launch a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Both substantial new initiatives will help leverage the entire federal government on behalf of promoting entrepreneurship in America. The new office is expected to announce additional initiatives in the coming months.

Click here to watch the video.

Texas Venture Capitalist, Laura Kilcrease, Featured in the Wichita Eagle and Takes the Lead at Module Three

When Joni Cobb traveled across the country looking for advice on how to construct Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp.' s Pipeline entrepreneurship grooming program, one of her stops was at Triton Ventures in Austin, Texas. That's where Cobb, Pipeline's president, met with Laura Kilcrease, managing director of the venture capital fund that invests in spinout and startup technology companies.

Click here to read entrie article.

Current Innovator, Cason Coplin and Company EcoFit Lighting Introduce DuraStreet Series LED Light Engine

EcoFit Lighting announced the debut of its DuraStreet™ Series LED Light Engine. DuraStreet is the industry`s first high-output LED light engine that fits virtually all existing street lighting fixtures including cobra heads, shoe boxes, and other area and site lighting fixtures. The simple installation process requires less than five minutes, and virtually no training or special tools are required. Click here to read entire article.

Two, 2008 Innovators Attend the Stanford Summit CEO Bootcamp

Carlos Antequera, CEO of Netchemia and Todd Gentry, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Inno-Labs (and both part of the 2008 Class of Innovators) had the tremendous opportunity of attending the CEO Bootcamp in Palo Alto, CA in July.   

Thirty top private company CEOs attend the BootCamp to connect with venture capitalists, investment bankers, lawyers, accountants, and PR professionals, who will share their secrets for successful networking, fundraising, and landing strategic partnerships.

2008 Innovator Jan Srack and the Matrix Team Introduce the Matrix Wand

The Matrix team attended the PBES (Paint Body Equipment Services) Spring Conference jobber show in Phoenix AZ.  The PBES conference is a highly exclusive event, for members only, including only the top producers in the United States.  Matrix received a personal invitation from Arlene Davis, (Staff liaison of AIAA and PBES), to display and present the Wand at the Technology Fair.  This was an accolade for Matrix as there were only seven technology presenters invited to attend. 
 
The Matrix Wand was the only product that included a hardware application (the Wand) combined with software support.  One example of the PBES attendees was National Coatings and Supplies, (NCS), a Division of CARQUEST, with 83 stores throughout the Midwest.  Jay Sharp, NCS, VP Marketing, was impressed with the Wand and has expressed his desire to be one of the first Matrix Wand Representatives.  Many other multi-store groups have also expressed their interest in being Wand Distribution Partners.

The Wand is the World's only hand held, portable, Photogrammetry system which means we will be able to select the Best of the Best Distribution Partners.  NCS is one example of the type and quality of Distributors that Matrix will attract as we continue to expand into the market place.

Save the Date for "Innovator of the Year!" January 21, 2010

Mark your calendars for January 21, 2010 for the KTEC PIPELINE "Innovator of the Year" event.

You don't want to miss this!!

Click here to view highlights from last year's fantastic event!

 

2008 Innovator, Reggie Chandra and Rhythm Engineering- Improving Traffic Flow in Topeka

Traffic on some of Topeka's busiest streets should begin to flow more smoothly in coming months, thanks to a $660,000 federal grant that will synchronize signals at intersections along the thoroughfares.

Besides saving motorists time by reducing waits at red lights, the new system also will save fuel and be kinder to the environment, reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from vehicles into the atmosphere. Click here to read more.

PIPELINE Program Mentor David Vranicar Tapped to Lead BioVentures Program

The Kansas Bioscience Authority said Monday that it has hired David Vranicar, a PIPELINE program mentor, as the first president of its Heartland BioVentures program. A top-priority initiative for the authority, Heartland BioVentures aims to helps bioscience companies attract venture capital. Authority CEO Tom Thornton also said in an interview that the venture is key to the KBA’s mission of commercializing technology. Click here to read more.

PIPELINE Mentor and Board Chairman, Michael Beckloff, Named Top 100 Life Science Leaders in America, in PharmaVOICE

KTEC PIPELINE board chairman, Michael Beckloff (President of Beckloff Associates, Overland Park) has been named as one of the top 100 life science leaders in the nation.  Beckloff serves as chair of KansasBio, and as a member of many charitable organizations related to the life sciences.  Established five years ago by PharmaVOICE magazine, the PharmaVOICE 100 is an annual list of individuals recognized for their positive contributions to the life sciences industry. Click here for the entire publication.

2008 Innovator, Alfred Botchway, Featured in KC Business Journal

As area life sciences officials work to boost - and market - the region's research capacity, Xenometrics LLC is one of the sector's fastest-growing businesses. The Stilwell-based company has increased its revenue by 3,000 percent since its establishment in 2006, said founder and President Alfred Botchway, who declined to release revenue figures. "It's unrealistic," he said, "but we did it." The company conducts nonclinical research for local and multinational companies seeking regulatory approval of veterinary and human products along with medical devices. Click here for the entire article.

Reggie Chandra of Rhythm Engineering and 2008 Innovator - Taking the Media by Storm!

Rhythm Engineering Traffic System Shortens Travel Time Travel time along Missouri Route 291 in Lee's Summit has dropped by nearly a third, and that's particularly good news for local tech startup Rhythm Engineering. The Missouri Department of Transportation released a study Thursday by Midwest Research Institute documenting the performance of the artificial-intelligence traffic system, InSync, that Rhythm put in place along Route 291, on 2.5 miles between Missouri Route 50 and Interstate 470. Click here to read more. Reggie Chandra and Rhythm Engineering Featured on Fox 4 News and NBC Action News!  Motorists driving through 291 in Lee's Summit are getting through a lot quicker now thanks to a new system. The InSync traffic signal system is a win-win situation for everyone involved. A company based in Lenexa came to MoDOT with an idea to prevent motorists from stopping at every light when there was no traffic and MoDOT went for it. Click here to view the Fox 4 video. Click here to view the NBC Action News Story.

Innovator Chris Routh Named 20 in Their 20s

2009 Innovator Chris Routh was named as one of Ingram's Business Magazine 20 in their 20s in Kansas City. Entrants were chosen based upon business and entrepeneurship in the greater KC area. Chris' new venture, FreshlyBranded, allows new and small business to ask for marketing materials - logos, taglines, etc. at a set price. Any creative professional with an Internet connection could submit work samples, and the company looking to buy could pick the best one and pay the winner. Click here to read more.

Innovator of the Year Bruce Ianni Featured in Small Business Monthly

Bruce Ianni and his company, Chemidex, were featured in the Kansas City Small Business Monthly. Bruce said the PIPELINE is like an “MBA in a year.” He said being in the program kept Chemidex from making an investment that would have been a strategic mistake. Bruce and his mentor, Tim Barton of Freightquote.com, along with other advisers, were working on market validation when they determined the investment would have been OK, but the product really wouldn’t have addressed an acute market pain-point. It’s better to sell a product that’s more like aspirin than vitamins. “PIPELINE has created a virtual Silicon Valley here in Kansas,” Ianni said. “It’s really created a support network of business experts and sources of funding that significantly increases the chance of entrepreneurial success.” Click here to read more.

National Advisory Board Announced

PIPELINE recently announced its national advisory board adding to our local entrepreneurs and advisors, to give us perspective and input as we evolve. The Advisory board consists of experts in entrepreneurial education, mentoring, investing, innovation and policy. "It's always a pleasure to work with the eager minds in the KTEC PIPELINE program," said Dr. Ali Andalibi, National Institues of Health and Advisory Board member, Washington, D.C. "Knowing that entrepreneurs are working with programs like the PIPELINE gives additional assurance regarding their potential for success.” The board includes: Dr. Ali Andalibi National Institutes of Health Washington, D.C. Tom Churchwell Managing Partner Midwest Venture Partners Chicago, Illinois Alec Dingee Chairman and Co-Founder MIT Venture Mentoring Service Co-author of New Venture Creation: A Guide to Entrepreneurship Cambridge, Massachusetts Clare Fairfield Concerto Advisors, Inc. Chair, Venture Capital institute Iowa City, Iowa David Wilhelm President, Woodland Venture Management Advisor to Obama Campaign Ohio

Advice From a Legend - Guy Kawasaki

KTEC PIPELINE Innovators and alums were treated to a presentation from Guy Kawasaki during this module. Thanks to our partnership with Entrepreneurs' Exchange and PIPELINE mentor Gina Danner, we had front row seats to hear advice on entrepreneurship from a true legend in the industry. Additionally, our Innovators attended the "Meet the Masters" event the evening before and heard from the likes of Neal Patterson, Cliff Illig, Barnett Helzberg and other icons of entrepreneurship.

PIPELINE 2 PIPELINE Connects Innovators to Future Entrepreneurs!

KTEC PIPELINE and Youth Entrepreneurs Kansas (YEK) have collaborated on a partnership connecting PIPELINE Innovators and mentors to future entrepreneurs. PIPELINE 2 PIPELINE has already started connecting PIPELINE Innovators and mentors to entrepreneurial motivated students and educate them on opportunities in technology, science, mathematics and engineering. PIPELINE 2 PIPELINE was created to encourage young people to consider building their own business through entrepreneurship as well as pursuing careers in technology and science related fields. This innovative program will help young people understand that careers in technology and science provide them with a viable and exciting future. As pictured above, Innovator Cason Coplin is working with a YEK student on his business plan. Click here to learn more!