Funding Stories

Miguel Johns, KingFit

KingFit acquisition fuels expansion plans in Mexico, focuses bilingual health tech startup

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…

Wave team with Jeff Jones, H&R Block CEO

How can KC get to a $400M+ exit? Hire smart and just survive, says founder of startup acquired by H&R Block

A year after Wave’s $405 million acquisition by H&R Block, the company’s co-founder acknowledges the Toronto startup’s story seems like something of a fintech fairytale — with the happy end of one chapter perhaps overshadowing the struggles in the pages before it. “This won’t be true for everybody, but what we found was — just stay…

Kaitlin Doyle, Kevin Montanez, Kirby Montgomery, and Simone Astra Louise Montgomery; photo courtesy of Maria Butz

TheraWe exits: Pandemic opens pipeline for KC health tech startup, catching eye of NY buyer 

Kirby Montgomery announced the acquisition of TheraWe earlier this week, but — in a nod to “evening entrepreneurism” — the founder won’t actually go full-time with the startup he created three years ago until Monday. TheraWe — a HIPAA-compliant mobile video platform that bridges the gap between pediatric therapy centers and families at home — recently…

Jasmine and Amber Baudler, Stellar Image Studios

AltCap COVID-19 relief fund set to reopen May 27; nears $2M in loans already awarded

Editor’s note: The following is part of Startland News’ ongoing coverage of the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Kansas City’s entrepreneur community, as well as how innovation is helping to drive a new normal in the ecosystem. Click here to follow related stories as they develop. AltCap is reopening access to a growing pot of rescue dollars May…

Elango Thevar, Neer

Drinking in $100K investment, Elango Thevar ready to carry the water for Neer full-time

Editor’s note: The following is part of Startland News’ ongoing coverage of the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Kansas City’s entrepreneur community, as well as how innovation is helping to drive a new normal in the ecosystem. Click here to follow related stories as they develop. Some products don’t require a pandemic pivot, said Elango Thevar, fresh off…