Thursday, June 6th, BetaBlox hosted DemoDay, a free event, at their startup incubator space in the Crossroads district. Over 200+ attendees, including investors from all over the country as well as local angel fund and venture capital groups, packed the event space. Nine startup ventures presenting that evening set up tables highlighting products or digital demos for attendees to interact with. BetaBlox announced a change to the size of the incubator program by doubling capacity, creating 40 new, fully prepared businesses in Kansas City every year (versus 20). The goal of this accelerator project is to further develop small business and technology in the KC region to impact economic growth and attract new business ventures. BetaBlox operates on the incubator model of “not taking a dime from entrepreneurs who are accepted into the program,” providing a space for growth, development and a successful business launch with a team of experienced mentors guiding the way.
Presentation Format
5-8 minutes for the CEO of each startup with a PowerPoint on the product or service offering.
Each individual was tasked three objectives to present for the demo:
1. What the business offering is from a B2B or B2C perspective and who are the target customers
2. How the business intends to make money, any revenue to date or funding sources
3. What help the company needs (if any) from the audience members or KC entrepreneurs/ mentors/ capital investors
Presenting Teams
FlexPro – custom meals delivered to your door, geared towards athletes, the health conscious or picky eaters.
MOTTO – an online virtual gym with access to workout routines, a nutrition store, personal trainers, online magazines & more.
BraneKid – cloud-based learning for disadvantaged, ‘behind grade level’ students and resources for educators.
GossUP – anonymous geo-location messaging system; like traditional social media, but say what you want without the backlash.
Utility Contractor Xchange – revolutionary utility directory, a “Craigs List” for Oil, Gas, Electric, Telcomn, Waste Water and Renewable Energy service providers who need equipment or specialized services.
ShamBibby – the baby bib, evolved…like “sham-wow” customized for infant cleanup and quickly managing messes
GIVSTRONG – leveraging your birthdays for a cause or your favorite charity; instead of gifts, give your birthday meaning
Autoswaprz – the best way to find your next car, easier to use than competition, connects dealers and buyers
An important take away from the Demo presentations was over half of the presenting companies had sold product and services to the tune of $25K+ in less than three months, several with the help of initial seed capital or a no capital investment model, purely using the suite of services BetaBlox provides. A former incubator participant, Hannah Rues, ConciergeCare, Inc., a health provider for senior and ElderCare solutions gave a follow up of “business life post incubation.’ The company has signed partnership agreements in multiple states for ElderCare services and has been the keynote speaker at several national health conventions focusing on Eldercare solutions for an increasing aging population.
How the BetaBlox Accelerator Works
BetaBlox processes hundreds of startup opportunities and accepts applicants at roughly the same rate as Harvard’s MBA program. A committee of expert investors picks the high growth potential teams based on one-on-one interviews, live presentations, question-and-answer sessions, written applications, and group discussions. Next, the teams enter into a six-month, NO COST program designed to help them succeed in business, as well as accelerate the timeframe at which they reach success. Teams have access to Mentor Lecture Series, Investors & Business Partners, Startup Classes, One-on-One Consultation, Marketing & Branding resources, Environmentally friendly offices space and 24/7 access to the facility.
At the end of the accelerator program, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to present to a room of investors, journalists, and stakeholders aka DemoDay! More info at About the Program.
What Does BetaBlox Look for In a Mentor Entrepreneur Partner?
BetaBlox is a mentorship-driven startup accelerator…which means they are always on the hunt for people looking to give back to the entrepreneurial community of Kansas City. They look for three traits in a mentor for the BetaBlox program:
“The first and most important is startup experience. We want mentors to be able to tell the story of what it was like to be at the same stage of business as our entrepreneurs; whether it was a failure or a great success. This is anywhere from the idea stage to the first several years worth of revenue and growth.
The second trait we look for is relevance. Is a mentor’s expertise something of importance to our crop of startups?
Digital strategy, early stage investment, programming, marketing, startup law, etc. are all great examples of relevant skill-sets that our startup teams can learn from and implement ‘in the now.’
The third trait we look for is good people. We are in no shortage of amazing individuals thanks to where we live and the growing Kansas City startup market. We don’t pay our mentors, nor get paid to manage the things we can do for them; a prerequisite is we all enjoy each other’s company. Mentors should want to be around the BetaBlox team and our group of entrepreneurs.
Sure we get to share in their knowledge and experience, but they also get to share in our networks, stories, friendship, and business opportunities. A good mentor recognizes that with the right mentality, we represent a very well rounded and mutually beneficial relationship,” shared Weston Bergmann, BetaBlox co-founder.
BetaBlox needs new co-founders, connections in alternative industries, beta testers, strategic alliances, and more. BetaBlox welcomes all who support Kansas City entrepreneurship. For information on becoming a mentor or become involved contact Weston Bergmann.