Funding Stories

Lisa Bledsoe, Tea-Biotics Kombucha

Tea-Biotics bottles $1.2M in quick funding round; taps into thirsty new markets for kombucha

From jar-lined countertops in her kitchen to a 13,000-square-foot facility brimming with brew tanks, Lisa Bledsoe’s mission to pour Kansas City a more refreshing bottle of “booch” is scaling fast, she explained over a freshly tapped glass of her “Beachlife”-flavored kombucha.  “I think it can be an inspiration for younger women or even other women…

Quest Moffat, Project UK demo day 2018

Project UK earns $100K prize to help build out tech ecosystem, connected community

A $100,000 injection will position Project United Knowledge for growth that could further fill diversity and inclusion gaps in Kansas City’s tech ecosystem.   The accelerator program landed the investment as a winner of the Kapor Center’s $1 million Tech Done Right National Challenge, said Quest Moffat, head of innovation at Project UK.  Beyond financial support,…

Chris Cheatham, RiskGenius

RiskGenius announces Series B, partnerships with trio of world’s largest insurance carriers

Customers are pushing for the growth of RiskGenius, a top Kansas City startup providing software-based natural language processing tools for improved quality and accuracy in the insurance industry, said CEO Chris Cheatham. RiskGenius announced Monday an undisclosed Series B round led by Hudson Structured Capital Management Ltd., doing business as HSCM Bermuda. The financing round…

Lauren Lawrence, Stenovate, photo by Mikaela Wendel Photography

Stenovate lands first big investor; founder credits ‘stepping stones’ of KC startup resources

Hold your head high, be eager, and embrace the startup community that surrounds you, Lauren Lawrence said as the first outside investor calls on her Kansas City-filed tech startup, Stenovate.  “The first person to really take a risk on you as an outside investor who’s not your mom and dad … they’re always a significant…

Friendmedia moving San Fran HQ to Kansas City; planning $1.5M funding round for hiring

San Francisco-based tech firm Friendmedia is expected to relocate its headquarters to Kansas City in 2020 amidst $1.5 million funding round, said Nick Magruder. “Our goal is to take advantage of all the great things that Kansas City brings to the table with all the great people, the low cost of living and everything that…