TWO MORE COMPANIES PLAY IN THE SANDBOX AND SCORE ON THE FIELD
Football season is here and two KC companies who are helping improve the fan and player experiences are now playing in the Sandbox.
If you watch football games on TV, you have likely noticed the technology deployed to make the broadcast more viewer-friendly. But why isn’t that available for in-stadium viewing? Lazser Down has developed a solution that could improve the in-stadium experience for fans.
“Lazser Down provides real-time down and distance that is digitally displayed on the field and synchronized with the stadium scoreboard,” says J. Michael Foster, CEO. Measurements are read out by the yard, foot and, when necessary, by the inch. A former football coach, Foster says, “It is frustrating because the determination of distance can be subjective. Placements can be different based on angle or a misread of the ball.”
“There is a lot of interest in integrating technology into the ‘in-stadium’ experience,” says Jeff Shackelford, executive director, Digital Sandbox KC. “And Lazser Down’s unique real-time technology improves the in-stadium experience.”
While the players are battling it out on a football, soccer or other athletic field, head injuries are stealing the headlines. Effective diagnosis of concussions is limited to observing symptoms typical of head trauma. pHLOGISTIXhas a blood test for concussions in development for point-of-injury diagnosis.
“Sandbox money will allow us to integrate the analyte and clinimetric data in order to have proof-of-concept,” says Barry Festoff, M.D., founder and CEO of pHLOGISTIX. “This can significantly change the way concussion and mild traumatic brain injury are diagnosed and treated. Current methods are all subjective.”
“As a father with a son playing football, anything we can do to better recognize and diagnose concussions is an important advancement,” says Shackelford, noting that no other solution like this exists. “pHLOGISTIX’s platform includes a digital component and software allowing for point-of-injury diagnostics that are objective.”
Launched in February 2013, the Digital Sandbox KC has worked with more than 300 entrepreneurs and early-stage companies across the metro area. This is the first time the program will be used to drive increased entrepreneurship for a specific city.
Results for Digital Sandbox KC thus far have included:
• 55 proof-of-concept funded for area startups
• 23 new businesses created
• 181 jobs created
• $17.8 million in follow-on funding
Applications for Digital Sandbox KC are taken on a rolling basis and evaluation/selection cycles run eight weeks. Sandbox funding may cover expenses for project consultants, legal support, equipment and other market validation, prototyping and beta testing needs.
About Digital Sandbox
Digital Sandbox KC is an unprecedented partnership among private companies, universities, entrepreneurial support organizations and government agencies across the Kansas City region designed to spur the creation of high growth companies. Digital Sandbox KC provides proof of concept resources including market validation, prototyping and beta testing support for development of digital technologies within new and existing businesses. More information and the Sandbox’s annual report can be read at www.digitalsandboxkc.com.
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