Minority-Led Stories
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2024 Startups to Watch
BarGlance acquires Updown Nightlife App; founder says deal will scale AI-infused tech even faster than he imagined
In a strategic move to elevate the Midwest’s nightlife scene on a national level, founder Joshua Lewis said, the Updown Nightlife app has been acquired by BarGlance, an AI-powered nightlife tech company. The deal — valued at $5 million, Lewis said — celebrates Updown’s 10-year anniversary, marking a significant milestone for the app that put…
Kansas City-built Boddle earns $500K Yass Prize Finalist Award, hits 2M monthly users
MIAMI — Winning a coveted award from Stop for Education is expected to empower Boddle Learning to reach a broader audience than ever before, as well as significantly expanding its curriculum and advancing its cutting-edge AI-powered education tools. Boddle, which launched and grew in Kansas City before relocating to Tulsa, Oklahoma, was announced as a…
Sweet Peaches wants a bigger piece of the pie; crowdfunding could scale this small biz across US
Community support will be key for Sweet Peaches Cobblers next batch of growth, said Denisha Jones, announcing plans to use Kickstarter funding to pack her flavorful and beloved family desserts into the freezers of more major retailers across the U.S. Already a local Kansas City favorite, Sweet Peaches Cobbler can be found in more than…
Una Mas Empanadas folds authentic Argentinian flavors into new restaurant spot at Parlor
Expanding Silvia Herrera’s business from a food truck in Gardner to one of Kansas City’s most active and eclectic food hubs brings the Buenos Aires-born entrepreneur — and her grandmother’s 50-year-old handcrafted empanada recipe — to an even wider, more diverse audience, she said. “Our empanadas are more than just food,” Herrera said. “They represent…
It’s not too late to preserve KC’s Black-owned restaurants (or to enjoy Black Feast Week)
The recent closures of Soiree, The Krave, and Privee — Black-owned restaurants that each became a staple of Kansas City’s evolving food scene — leave a clear void that can’t be ignored, said Ryan Sorrell. An initiative to help save local culinary should-be hotspots in similar danger wraps this week, but the work to promote and…
