Funding Stories
New investor report: Women-led startups more likely to get angel support than VC backing
Angel investors support 10-times more women-led companies than venture capital-backed investors, revealed a first-of-its-kind report by the Kansas City-based Angel Capital Association. “It didn’t shock us,” said Marianne Hudson, executive director of the ACA, the world’s largest cohort of angel investors. Hudson cited previous ACA research that indicated 21 percent of angel investors had been…
Idle Smart posts Series A round with KCRise Fund, multimillion-dollar investment support
A multi-million dollar investment round has Kansas City-grown Idle Smart revving its engine and accelerating toward rapid growth in 2019, revealed Jeff Lynch, company president. “I think it’s a reflection of what the team has been able to create over the past few years,” Lynch said of Idle Smart’s completion of a milestone Series A…
Human capital: KC Mythbusters challenges Kansas City to rethink how it supports startups
A thriving startup ecosystem requires more stakeholders with skin in the game, said Eric Jorgenson. That means increasing direct participation — those actively and directly building or investing in startups that can potentially exit and see a talent and capital explosion that results in even newer startups — and de-emphasizing the need for and dependence…
LaunchKC winner bringing cryptocurrency into the investment game with Liquifi
A blockchain-enabled solution from Venture360, called Liquifi, aims to unfreeze startups paralyzed by a lack of access to capital, Rachael Qualls said with excitement. “The main reason more people don’t invest in private companies is there is no way to get money out,” said Qualls, CEO of Venture360. “On average money is tied up for…
Pure Pitch Rally passes $1 million in prizes; FastDemocracy and TheraWe lead winners
A quick-paced pitch competition Wednesday saw big wins for political tracking startup FastDemocracy and child therapy resource TheraWe Connect, with more than $1 million in prizes awarded between 10 young companies. “Our sponsors felt a funding head-rush like a speeding train — throwing money everywhere,” said Michael Williamson, an IP attorney for Polsinelli, one of…
