Funding Stories

Brandon Calloway, Black Spartans Manga

Fund Me, KC: ‘Black Spartans’ creator changes the tone of fantasy — where Blackness isn’t ‘the exotic other’

Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Brandon Calloway’s campaign to fund the first book in his “Black Spartans” graphic novel series — to share crowdfunding stories and gain…

Garney Construction with Kenzen wearables

Worker wearables startup Kenzen earns $1M capital injection from Fenaroli-led Overland Park investor

Kansas City-worn Kenzen is rolling into 2021 with new funding and partnerships pushing the wearables startup into overdrive.  The company announced a $1 million injection of funding from Overland Park-based Examinetics — a portfolio company of New York-based Freedom 3 Capital — Wednesday.  “The Kenzen solution is gaining momentum. This alliance with Examinetics will broaden the team…

Cornell Gorman and Brandon Calloway, GIFT

Effort to grow startup capital for Black-owned businesses: Our work in KC has just begun

A nonprofit that’s raised more than a quarter million dollars in eight months to provide grants to Black small business owners says a diverse range of Kansas City entrepreneurs already has asked for help — and their needs go beyond the obvious. “Normally when people think of Black-owned businesses here in Kansas City, most immediately think…

Davyeon Ross, ShotTracker

Verizon dials into ShotTracker’s 5G potential, leading $11M financing round for veteran startup

One of Kansas City’s most celebrated startups is getting a boost as a new $11 million financing round led by Verizon Ventures and Evertz Technologies Limited takes the court. Funding is expected to support accelerated product deployment across NCAA basketball conferences and expand remote live sports production in the cloud with 5G enabledtech for venues,…

Joe Allen, Brad Starnes, Nolan McMichael, Splitsy

Meet the latest tech startups joining the ranks of Digital Sandbox KC in the new year

A new year means a jump-started opening for Splitsy and two other Kansas City startups joining the roster of Digital Sandbox KC-funded companies, said Brad Starnes. “We could not thank the Sandbox enough for the opportunity to be in a position to dominate our market quickly and efficiently,” said Starnes, president and co-founder of Olathe-based…