An innovative Public-Private partnership to develop the Internet of Things and Smart Connected Cities The premise of the Kansas City Living Lab is simple. Where a “problem or challenge” exists, or one is anticipated in the future (future goal to avoid problems), the lab will seek out the best emerging technology solutions…
Think Big Foundation and Cisco launched SensED - a project-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education program for middle and high school students - in September with a pilot kickoff at Think Big’s innovation center in the heart of downtown KC. The program was adopted in four Lee’s Summit…
We live in the age of cities with the most rapid urban migration in history. It’s creating business opportunities and ideas at unprecedented speed. In 2013, half of the world’s population was living in cities. In just five years, half of Asia’s population will be living in cities. By 2035,…
Preparing students and educators to be leaders in emergent technologies Earlier this year, the Kansas City Council approved a $15 million agreement with San Francisco based Cisco Systems Inc., to turn a two-mile stretch of the streetcar line into a “Smart City” network - the largest deployment currently in North…
Every night, as millions of citizens all across the world sleep, there’s a technology revolution quietly taking place. This revolution is making cities smarter, more efficient and more livable than ever before. Welcome to Kansas City - where we are building one of the world’s smartest connected cities. And where…
Over the last twenty years the interest in social entrepreneurship has expanded across the globe. But in the last several years, Millennials have been like rocket fuel to social enterprise creation. This group has entered the workforce en masse, and notably placed purpose at the top of their list of…
The mission of Think Big Partners has always been about more than money. While we are committed to identifying, nurturing and supporting successful companies in the Midwest and across the country, we are also very aware that this does not happen in a vacuum. Successful entrepreneurs require committed ecosystems and…
The article “How the Journey of Data Can Transform Cities” recently appeared on the official Cisco corporate blog as a guest post by Herb Sih, Managing Partner of Think Big Partners. As a follow up to this article and in response to the subsequent questions that have come up, here…
This post is contributed by Ron Singh and Charlie Kelly of Silicon Valley Bank. Why is Silicon Valley Bank in Kansas City? As our name suggests, our roots are planted deep in the Valley. We’ve been integral in providing capital, banking services and connections for innovative companies and investors throughout…
Every Veteran’s Day, I am reminded of the decade I spent in the military and the immeasurable impact it has had on me as an entrepreneur. Beyond the genuine camaraderie, black & white mission success criteria and a certain tempo that exists among military members, there were many lessons I…
