Gigabit Challenge Is a Gigabust for KC

The Gigabit Challenge was an interesting contest for business plans that take advantage Google’s upcoming 1 gigabit fiber optic network in Kansas City. Unfortunately no local companies won, and the most of the prize money is flowing of town and out of the country.

The challenge was hyped as a way to generate new ideas for the super fast network and jump start local tech business in anticipation of Google Fiber going live later this year. Top prizes went to companies from Chicago and New York, one of which plans to use the prize money to open an office in Berlin.  The only “local” winner is a Grandview company, located outside the initial Google Fiber service area.

The winning companies will ultimately have to setup at least some local presence in order to connect the network. But putting a server in a local data center is a far cry from creating new jobs or having any real impact on the technology or business community.

KC Business Journal: Gigabit Challenge shows demand for network, short supply of local winners.