Tech Bytes: Catching up
It's been a while since my last update, so here's a recap of some developments over the last couple months, and some insight into what is coming up as the Wichita technology community continues to gain momentum.
▪ Grit finished second (by two votes) in a field of 64 competitors to pitch to the BuiltWorlds Summit in Chicago. Grit is a technology company that applies virtual reality to the construction industry.
▪ The first Tech Midwest expo took place June 3-4 as part of Riverfest. It showcased Wichita technology companies and startups. It featured a hackathon and keynote speeches by Mark Williams of WorkView and Omar Alaouf of Octopus by Joy. The event also featured lightning talks by community members.
▪ KingFit celebrated the launch of its app. The app provides diabetes education for those with, and at risk of developing, diabetes.
▪ Lawn Buddy expanded its services to Lawrence, Kansas City and the Dallas/Fort Worth markets. Lawn Buddy provides a mobile app to connect users and providers to lawn care, snow removal and more.
▪ Quickdraw Trivia launched its first trivia league using its custom software solution for the trivia industry.
▪ Moonbase Labs launched. The brainchild of Nic Wentling and Benny Bowden, the business provides a broad range of development from website design to mobile apps.
▪ FreeState Healthcare opened a clinic in College Hill. FreeState provides innovative services to rural areas using its own telehealth technology.
▪ Technology companies Eyas, Mobile Car Tune and Vytal all placed (2nd, 3rd and 4th, respectively) in the Shocker New Venture Competition. Pinole Blue won the competition as well as the People's Choice Award. Vytal won the Healthcare Innovation Award and Mobile Car Tune won the Director's Choice Award.
Eyas uses facial recognition technology and drones to aid law enforcement. Mobile Car Tune provides a service for consumers to get on demand auto service and maintenance. Vytal is developing wearable technology to track athlete vitals at unprecedented levels.
Pinole Blue makes a food for athletes out of traditional ingredients used by tribes in Mesoamerica since the time of the Aztecs.
Follow
@GritVirtual
@KingFitUSA
@lawnbuddyict
@vytal_penrose
@telehospital
@MoonbaseLabs
@QuickdrawTrivia
Connect
July 13 @ 7 a.m.: Code & Coffee at the Labor Party
July 13 @ 5:30 p.m.: Startup Grind featuring Curtis Whitten, Founder/CEO of VendTech Enterprise
July 17 @ 7 p.m.: Study Hall with Women Who Code Wichita and devICt
July 20 @ 6:30 p.m.: Fusion 360: Sketching for Makers with LaDeana Dockery
Sam Foreman, an advocate for entrepreneurship, tech and inclusion, is an attorney at Fleeson Gooing. Contact him at sforeman@fleeson.com and @wichisam on Twitter.
This story was originally published July 7, 2017 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Tech Bytes: Catching up."