KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Google's new superfast Internet connection is creating a tech startup culture in Kansas City.

Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., were picked as the first cities to get Google's new fiber-optic network that's capable of reaching speeds far greater than average cable-modem connections.

Tech startups are sprouting up around the area dubbed "Silicon Prairie" as developers use the superfast connection. In one neighborhood, a web developer has created what he calls a "Home for Hackers" where entrepreneurs can live rent-free for three months while they develop their business.

Still, such startups face funding challenges. Silicon Valley venture capital groups in particular like their entrepreneurs close by in California.

But local developers say that's a challenge that will keep entrepreneurs hungry and focused on building applications that people can use.