Minority-Led Stories
Alchemy Sandbox winners lean into challenge of live pitches as Porter House KC awards third-round checks
A third round of Alchemy Sandbox winners each walked away with more than a $5,000 check this week after an intense live pitch experience for the entrepreneurs behind three Kansas City Main Street ventures and two support organizations for Black businesses. “It was interesting to see how I had all this information in my head,…
Tech piloted in KC classrooms went viral, now Boddle has raised $3M in seed funding
TULSA — Funding for its rapidly scaling education gaming platform is expected to fuel Boddle Learning’s nationwide growth, as well as help the startup expand its product offerings outside of math and develop new interactive multiplayer experiences. “It’s always been one of our goals to inspire learning anywhere,” said Edna Martinson, co-founder of Boddle, describing…
His fitness app pays users to workout, but what they really want is body transformation, founder says
Jasper Sanders founded Deposit The Work to incentivize users to stick with their fitness goals, he shared, but now he’s emphasizing accountability with the app’s latest feature. “The whole idea behind CoachConnect+ is providing a platform for individuals who are stuck on their fitness journey, unsure on where to start, [or] don’t know how to…
Troost coffee shop ‘broken into pieces’ by collision; caffeinated supporters jump to action
A community of customers and neighbors is rallying behind Anchor Island Coffee this week after a pickup truck barreled into the front entrance of the tropical-themed breakfast spot at 41st and Troost. Fortunately no one was injured in the after-hours incident, said co-owner Armando Vasquez, who noted he was the last person to leave the…
Google’s $100K ‘stamp of approval’ for PlaBook reads like validation for KC-built edtech startup
Kansas City expatriate PlaBook is set to receive $100,000 from Google’s initiative to provide funding to Black-led startups. But for Philip Hickman, it’s not just about the funding, he said. It’s also a credibility boost. “We were happy to receive an investment from Google,” the edtech startup founder said. “It’s a stamp of approval to…
