LaunchKC graduates tap Kansas City energy, ‘electricity’ to power social venture growth
August 29, 2026 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Montre Moore, founder of Los Angeles-built AMP Beauty, pitches her company during a demo day-style graduation for LaunchKC's Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Editor’s Note: The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC) is a financial supporter of Startland News.
Escaping the clamor of Los Angeles for Kansas City has been refreshing, said Montre Moore, whose company AMP Beauty is among two drawn to the region for the fifth cohort of LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio.
“Just the authenticity and human connection,” the founder said, reflecting on Kansas City. “I feel like in L.A. you get really jaded from all the noise. I’m such a people person and you can just feel that this city has so much energy and just electricity around it.”
Social Venture Studio — launched in 2022 to help boost promising social ventures as they create sustainable business models to tackle social, racial, or environmental issues — just celebrated the conclusion of its fifth cohort with a demo day. Companies on Thursday revealed their updated pitches to potential funders and supporters live at the Keystone CoLab space in the East Crossroads.
Organizers and members of LaunchKC’s fifth Social Venture Studio cohort; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“What Kevin (McGinnis) has built here at Social Venture Studio and Keystone District is just groundbreaking,” said Moore, who learned about the opportunity through the entrepreneurship network Capital Club. “And the more time I’ve spent here, I’ve just appreciated more and more of the impact.”
She said the program has helped AMP Beauty — a commerce and technology platform helping emerging beauty brands scale through retail access, data-driven insights, and multi-channel distribution — to refine its focus, as well as expand its client lens.
“One of the biggest takeaways was just identifying that we’re not broken,” Moore explained. “We were just talking to the wrong people. I’m so grateful for the community of Kansas City for opening our eyes and embracing us.”
“A lot of the purchasing power is really happening in Middle America, Missouri and Kansas City,” she added. “And as we dive deeper into our data, I realized, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a huge segment of customers, not only on the beauty shopper side, but emerging founders who need access, too.’”
LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio has graduated 35 companies through its past five cohorts, receiving the IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Award in 2022 for its work promoting economic equity and inclusion. Keystone and Social Impact Advising Group administer programming for the studio on behalf of LaunchKC organizers at the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City.
“What LaunchKC is trying to do is find the next generation of startups that have the potential to become the job creators and economic engines for Kansas City’s future,” explained Jim Erickson, director of strategic initiatives for EDCKC.
ICYMI: ‘This is a different type of founder’: LaunchKC reveals latest social venture cohort
“We created this program to be a studio, which means we balanced the modules for business and social impact with the individualized support of mentors,” added Jacqueline Erickson Russell, founder and CEO of Social Impact Advising Group.
Nadia Boone, founder of Biospoke + LUMO, pitches on stage during a demo day-style graduation for LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Nadia Boone — founder of Biospoke + LUMO, biodegradable textile materials and waste-tracking tools helping the fashion industry transition toward circular, sustainable production — came to Kansas City from Detroit for the LaunchKC initiative’s three months of programming. She found out about Social Venture Studio from her sister, who initially planned to apply with her own childcare-centered business.
“I’m glad that I moved here because I’ve been able to be involved in the community,” Boone said, noting her work locally with leaders at several nonprofits — like Magpie Creative Reuse Collective and Climate Action KC — who have their own sustainability goals and initiatives.
Their crossovers gave the founder more ways to explore expanding her global reach.
“I want to help those communities who are directly impacted by textile waste,” Boone explained. “I realized it’s going to take the silos in the U.S. to get to those people because we’re the one that’s creating the most (textile waste) problems, so we need to be the ones helping to solve it.”
Other cohort members include:
Reda Ibrahim, AMINA (previously RK Contractors); photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
- AMINA (previously RK Contractors), Reda Ibrahim and Elvis Eneh — Certified, minority-owned general contractor integrating workforce development and case management into construction operations to create career pathways for immigrants and refugees.
Trina Nudson, BeAligned by The Layne Project; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
- BeAligned by The Layne Project, Trina Nudson and Tyler Klug — Evidence-based training and AI-supported technology helping parents and professionals turn conflict into collaboration to safeguard childhoods.
Brandon Taylor and Lindsey Taylor, Beyond This; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
- Beyond This, Brandon Taylor and Lindsey Taylor — Coaching and support platform helping individuals and couples reclaim Identity, intimacy, and connection after major stroke or disability.
Rosana Polanco, MLM (formerly KC Micro Campers); photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
- MLM (formerly KC Micro Campers), Rosana Polanco — For-profit arm of Embrace Your Shine with pre-sold, off-site fabricated starter homes using agile construction to address the affordability gap in under invested Kansas City neighborhoods.
Courtney Wachal and Thad Diamond, Magis; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
- Magis, Courtney Wachal and Thad Diamond — AI-powered court analytics platform that helps courts reduce recidivism and secure sustainable funding through evidence-based decision making.
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