Funding Stories
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…
Hunting access to capital? Do your homework first, Techweek panel says
Imagining overnight startup success is as unrealistic as wanting to become a winning athlete or megastar musician overnight — it all takes time and practice, said Juan Campos. “If you actually have the ambition to create a multimillion dollar company, then the people that are the most successful at that didn’t just wake up one…
