Education Stories

Jill Meyer, UMKC Innovation Center

ScaleUP! KC leader Jill Meyer tapped to run Digital Sandbox KC, Whiteboard2Boardroom, KCInvestED initiatives

A newly created role at the UMKC Innovation Center will see leadership for its early-venture and tech initiatives consolidated under the guidance of Jill Meyer. “New businesses, jobs — and good jobs — are key indicators of a strong economy,” said Meyer, the center’s new senior director of technology ventures. “We need to continue to…

Katie Boody, LEANLAB Education

From KC to Down Under, expanded LEANLAB attracts education innovators to latest fellowship

Ten companies arriving Friday to LEANLAB Education’s latest fellowship are expected to be met with real-world classroom partners from nine school systems in the Kansas City metro and Colorado. “When those closest to the issues in education — teachers, parents and students — have access to cutting-edge innovators and researchers, they’ll be able to collectively…

Jene’ Hong, E-Scholars mentor

Ego gets you in trouble — open ears get you business, UMKC E-Scholars mentor says

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Regnier Institute, but was independently produced by Startland News. If ego runs the show, a founder won’t succeed, Jene’ Hong said as she cracked jokes laced with straightforward advice.  “If we have a big ego, we can’t listen to other people and that’s…

Crystal German, Prosperity Labs, Startland's Innovation Exchange

Innovation versus inclusive prosperity: Can hub developers create both in Kansas City?

Place and prosperity go hand-in-hand, said William Dowdell. Less clear, however, is how developers and communities will strike a balance in their efforts to generate innovation and wealth in Kansas City. “Geography is a big part of this. When we talk about expanding opportunity and bringing innovation, we also have to look at those spaces…

Vanessa Mahan and Catherine Pollman, Bionic Bowel, UMKC Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

Two Missouri biology students just wanted an ‘A’ — ultimately they devised a treatment for Crohn’s Disease

Launching a biotech company based on a class project took the quest for an ‘A’ to a whole new level for two Missouri University of Science and Technology students — founders of Bionic Bowell.  Prompted by professors to find a use for a special ion-interacting glass compound, Vanessa Mahan and Catherine Pollman devised an ingestible…