Corporate Stories

Paris Brothers brewing new HQ, complete with Power & Light coffee labs, test kitchen

Relocating the corporate headquarters of an iconic Kansas City business — a brand inspired by a Sicilian family matriarch’s legacy and traditions — to downtown’s Power & Light District should be seen as a strategic investment in the food and beverage company’s future, said Joe Paris. Paris Brothers has finalized a new seven-year lease for…

It took a relentless ‘army’ of Topekans to open this innovation hub; now it’s time to build

TOPEKA — Moving the capital city’s crown jewel innovation space from start to finish was anything but a straight-line endeavor, said Molly Howey, describing the focus — and patience — that helped push the project forward, despite plenty of opportunities for collaborators to give up. “This is one of those events that I really don’t…

Bracket-style startup pitch competition courts innovators, angels for March gameplay

WICHITA, Kan. — Applications are open for a statewide startup pitch competition set to return in March alongside the Big 12 men’s basketball tourney. The high-profile event connects emerging founders with angel investors and corporate innovators — and a $25,000 top prize. The Gamechangers & Champions 2026 “Bracket Bash” is planned for March 10 at the…

Caffeinated by design: Why coffee is critical infrastructure at Topeka’s new innovation hub

Sparrow Coffee Co. roasts second home inside Link Innovation Labs as space prioritizes local small businesses alongside startups TOPEKA — When a hotly-anticipated innovation hub opens its doors Feb. 9 in downtown Topeka, visitors might notice the scent of freshly brewed coffee before they even catch sight of the startup space’s state-of-the art high-tech labs….

Innovation hub sets opening for critical wet labs, space for startups, small biz entrepreneurs

TOKEKA — Furniture deliveries are rolling in, the bright, bold green exterior sign is up, and Topeka’s new hub for science, startups, and collaboration is nearly ready to open its doors. After years of planning and prep, the hotly-anticipated Link Innovation Labs project is entering the final stretch of construction, setting the stage for a…