KC startup’s tech deployed at all FIFA Fan Festivals, stadiums to measure World Cup impact

Getting the call to deploy EB Systems’ crowd-tracking technology at some of the world’s most massive events is becoming “business as usual” for the Kansas City startup, but a weeks-long opportunity tied to the FIFA World Cup takes the stakes to an unprecedented level, said Jonathan Ruiz.

Jonathan Ruiz, co-founder of EB Systems alongside Brendan Waters, stands on the FIFA Fan Festival stage in Kansas City; photo courtesy of EB Systems

“The past year we’ve taken our CrowdFlow Beacon technology to events all over the world. Today we’re bringing it home,” said Ruiz, co-founder of EB Systems alongside Brendan Waters, announcing in a social media post that the technology is being used by brands at every FIFA Fan Festival and host stadium throughout the United States.

“But we had to do it big for the hometown,” he continued. “We deployed 50 beacons at Fan Fest KC, Arrowhead Stadium, and throughout Kansas City, measuring the massive impact the World Cup will have on our communities.”

EB Systems — which uses mobile apps, proximity-based sensors and wearable Bluetooth devices to create real-time location, reporting, and alerting systems — has been deployed in partnership with brands at a wide-range of recent major events, from the New York City Marathon and HYROX London ExCel to activations at the Super Bowl, NBA All Star Game and Coachella.

“This data is critical for them,” Ruiz, a member of Pipeline Entrepreneurs and a Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024 honoree, told Startland News previously, “because these events — festivals, concerts and sporting events — are investments. They want to understand what works, and what doesn’t; ‘Do we have to have a celebrity appearance every time? Or is it more about the brand and creating an engaging experience?’”

Fans line the grounds of Liberty Memorial during the Team Mexico’s opening game against South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup; photo courtesy of KC2026

EB Systems’ electronic beacon technology does far more than estimate overall attendance for brands and other partners, he emphasized.

“Our data helps them understand if they are engaging their customers effectively,” Waters added. “And every corporation can use our technology to make data-driven decisions about their marketing strategies and activations.”

No company in the world can match EB Systems’ approach, Ruiz said, noting his team’s success and global appeal is tied closely to its roots in Kansas City.

“There are other companies that are trying to do people counting and traffic analysis, but no one can do it like we can because no one else has done events with a million-plus people,” he said. “We’re the only company that has that track record. So it’s pretty exciting to be here and just be a part of everything.”