Comeback KC Ventures is an innovation-based entrepreneur support program originally funded through an 18-month SPRINT Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and administered in partnership by KC Digital Drive and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Innovation Center, launched to accelerate innovation.  

 

2021/2022 – Cohort 1 

A Traveled Path

A Traveled Path connects traveling medical professionals with local property owners so that professionals with specific accommodation requests can find affordable places to stay.

College Coaching Network

College Coaching Network provides college and career readiness opportunities using virtual reality in the metaverse.

Collegecoachingnetwork.com

Come On Now!

Come On Now! notifies their customers about no-show openings at a medical office so that underserved communities can take advantage of on-demand telehealth appointments.

www.comeonnow.io

Contagion Solutions

Contagion Solutions has created an Arc Tent that limits Covid exposure to healthcare workers by creating a rapidly deployable cleanroom for infected patients and allows providers to administer care with minimal fear of exposure.

Crib Coaching

Crib Coaching expands the reach of parent support services by providing a gamified educational platform for parents who need the help.

cribcoaching.com

Desksides

Desksides is a digital platform that streamlines the processes of a PR agency, so that brands and journalists can quickly and efficiently conduct PR without a publicist.

Desksides.com

Glow Healthcare Staffing

Glow Healthcare Staffing helps health care facilities close critical staffing shortages where and when they occur.

glowstaffing.com

Health Partners MD

Health Partners MD provides education and training to employees with obesity so that employers can invest in bettering their employees health and save money in healthcare costs.

healthpartnersmd.com

IA Quality

IA Quality leads the charge to improve indoor air quality by providing a portable filtration unit with state of the art pathogen control.

Iaquality.com

Kadogo

Kadogo is creating a streamlined and accessible fundraising platform for nonprofits by turning everyday transactions into charitable donations.

kadogo.co

MD Matchup

MD Matchup is creating a platform that matches patient to a provider they can use and trust long-term by focusing on each patient’s needs and preferences. 

www.mdmatchup.com/

MediView

MediView is a surgical navigation medical device that uses augmented reality for bedside and interventional procedures.

www.mediview.com

MoodSpark

Moodspark digital companion that detects sadness and uplifts their users with memories, conversations and video visits from loved ones.

www.moodspark.ai

More than a Meal

More than a Meal provides a personalized meaningful gift in meal kit form to help strengthen your most valued relationships.

morethanamealco.com

MyDigiRecords

MyDigiRecords manages digital immunization records for the vulnerable populations who do not have access or control over their paper or electronic records. 

mydigirecords.com

New Frontier Mobile Diagnostics

New Frontier Mobile Diagnostics brings quality, affordable, and convenient mobile diagnostic imaging to patients in doctors’ offices, clinics and care facilities.

Newfrontiermd.com

NoW Video

NoW is a virtual meeting platform that will disrupt the video conferencing space to provide consistent, easy video communications from anywhere.

Nowvideo.us

Perfect Day

Perfect Day is a fully customizable weather and wellness app that encourages its users to get outdoors more often, harnessing the proven health benefits of the sun and nature.

myperfectday.us

Techne360

Techne360 leverages VR in the form of digital twin technology to create virtual retail stores that enable interactive workflows, multi-person access, and collaboration across global teams.

techne360.com

VaccineAssist

VaccineAssist is a platform that keeps patients informed and engaged with their pharmacy providers and allows these providers to optimize their workflows.

www.vaccineassist.co

Venues Made Simple

Venues Made Simple is a two-sided marketplace that simplifies the lead process for smaller event venues and allows engaged couples to find and book venues more efficiently. 

venuesmadesimple.com/

We Link Local

We Link Local is a data-driven platform that increases profitability for urban local farmers by coordinating crop surpluses, renting farming equipment and connecting farmers to local consumers

XReps

XReps provides democratized access to elite football training by providing a VR coach-assisted training program to a larger population of youth and college players.

Xreps.io

Dr. Ye Wang & Dr. Yugyung Lee, UMKC Communications & Engineering, We Listen

WeListen is a data collection platform that allows researchers to conduct virtual focus groups and facilitates the discussion more effectively and protects participants anonymity. 

Dr. Jingxin Wang, Medicinal Chemistry in the KU School of Pharmacy, New RNA-targeting Approach to Combat Virus

Dr. Wang has created an antiviral compound that can combat COVID-19 by targeting the RNA genome sequence of cells and degrading them.

Dr. Chenglin Wu, Materials Scientist at Missouri S&T, Flexible Virus Sensor Mask

Dr. Wu has created a flexible sensor probe that can detect COVID-19 and flu through breath in 30 seconds and send the results to your phone instantly.

 

Interested in applying as a Fellow for Cohort 2 – click here.

Further Reading

Digital Inclusion Fund Awards $75,000 for Devices in the Greater Kansas City Area

The Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund announces the 2024 Devices Grants cycle list of grant awardees. The KC Digital Inclusion Fund supports 501(c)(3) entities that focus on digital inclusion access, affordability and adoption to increase participation in digital society for Kansas City’s most underserved and/or disconnected residents. Initial funding support is from the Health Forward Foundation, Kauffman Foundation, Kansas Health Foundation and GFiber (Google Fiber).

Read More

New ACC AmeriCorps Member Joins Team

Welcome, Gus Livers! He joins KC Digital Drive as an American Connection Corps (ACC) AmeriCorps member, serving in the 2024-2025 service year, thanks to the generous financial support from Comcast. Gus will serve as the Digital Inclusion Coordinator, and with his previous experience in internet services and streaming from Marksman Solutions, and event management at […]

Read More

Illustrating The Possibilities of KC’s Digital Industry With KC IMAGINE

KC IMAGINE hosted its annual “Building KC’s Digital Future” conference on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, that discussed topics like artificial intelligence, animation, blockchain technology, and hiring practices. This conference provided an engaging event for digital media professionals that extended networking into the KC’s growing digital media scene.

Read More