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Austrian-based Start Up Launches In Kansas City, Missouri

  • June 14, 2017

BLITAB, an Austria-based startup that developed the world’s first tablet for blind people, has launched in its new home in Kansas City, Missouri. The company recently won a LaunchKC grant and began the process to setup operations in the U.S.

“We like the ecosystem here and we think it’s a very good place for an international company wanting to start in the U.S. and not wanting to go the East or West Coast,” said Slavi Slavev, co-founder of BLITAB. “The whole ecosystem is very helpful and LaunchKC is a great ticket to the U.S.”

Founded in 2014, BLITAB uses patented “smart liquid” technology to convert emails, stories or other text into braille. The braille display shifts according to what the user needs and is supplemented by speech to text software.

The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City helped with the visa application for BLITAB’s employees. In the application, BLITAB’s founders demonstrated their business success, including endorsements from business leaders and people from all over the world.

“We needed a lot of recommendations, work to be done and documents to be prepared so that we had a strong file and background,” Slavev said. “The whole time the (KC) EDC was very supportive for the visa process and helped us with whatever we needed.”

For more information on expanding in Missouri contact Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, at 314.725.2688 or via our contact form, with any questions you might have, and learn how Missouri Partnership can help with your business expansion and investment needs.

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