There’s been a lot of buzz in Martin City about exactly what well-known tech entrepreneur, Gary Fish, is up to with his new business venture, FishTech Labs, in our neighborhood. Since we know he’s had several other successful ventures, FishNet Security and Firemon to name a few, we knew it would be something big.
Lucky for us, the team from FishTech Labs recently joined CID leaders and South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce members for a lunch at RC’s Restaurant to give us more details about their project. Wow! We thought we knew what we were in for but this is going to be MUCH bigger than we thought!
So what exactly is Fishtech?
Through strict selection criteria, Fishtech Labs identifies, benchmarks, and tests next-generation technologies that may combine with existing mature technologies to form cohesive and secure cloud and hybrid cloud environments. Fishtech Labs then partners with these companies by investing its dollars, people, process, and technology to accelerate marketplace adoption.
Scheduled to open in November 2016, the $10.2 million facility at 13333 Holmes Road will be created using state of the art sustainable materials and technologies, and is expected to bring anywhere from 50-70 new jobs to our South KC neighborhood! When the building is complete, Fishtech says they may have room for over 100 people.
“When people think about technology companies, you don’t see a lot headquartered in South Kansas City,” says Fish. “We hope FishTech Labs will spawn a birth of redevelopment, especially as we start bringing employees here.” Development has already begun on the groundbreaking project that could completely change the dynamic of business in Martin City.
The building on Holmes Road was demolished to make room for the new Fishtech Labs facility in February 2016
The entire Fishtech Labs facility is designed with innovation in mind.“We are building this really cool facility that looks like it belongs over in Leawood, but it’s going to be right here in Martin City,” says Fish. “We have been visiting the local restaurants and establishments, and I think it’s a cool place.”
The office space will feature a wide-open environment with no dedicated offices. Instead, collaborative workspaces with integrated technology will encourage the staff to work together to create innovative solutions. Fishtech says engineers often need to work together to collaborate on projects and this open office environment should facilitate that.
There will also be event space so Fishtech can host events on-site. They are passionate about community involvement and want to get our youth excited about science and technology careers as well.
FishTech Labs is already working on partnerships with local school districts, colleges, and charities. “I want us to make a real impact in the community of Martin City,” says Fish. “We want to focus on something long-term and create a legacy in South Kansas City and I think we can make a big difference.”
We do too! We are incredibly excited to welcome FishTech Labs to Martin City and look forward to supporting their efforts to grow with our community. To learn more about them, inquire about jobs, or find out how you can get involved, please visit their website.
