News Stories
Purple Wave’s strategic partnership with global auction site will take KS tech international
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. MANHATTAN, Kansas — A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is expected to help homegrown auction tech company Purple Wave scale into the global brand its co-founders always dreamed it could be, said Aaron…
The whole package: KC woman’s delivery service drives to beat competition on trust, versatility
Two years after receiving a $25,000 grant from Kansas City G.I.F.T., Damesha Cook’s small business is still on the move, picking up speed as she invests her own personal touch to build confidence and trust among clients. “When people meet me and get to know my personality, it gives them a lot of comfort,” said…
How one KC startup studio helps feel-good ventures grow impact while actually making money
Running a social venture comes with an inherent challenge for founders, shared Jacqueline Erickson Russell, emphasizing they must balance purpose and profit. Social Venture Studio — powered by LaunchKC — offers support along that journey, added Erickson Russell, the founder and CEO of Social Impact Advising Group and consultant for the Kansas City-based program. “Complex…
This hard swap plays easy: How one KC producer juggles community, breaking the club music cookie cutter
Tyler Jordan’s new spin on DJing: amplify fellow artists and unite people through music, he shared. Jordan — who produces electronic music and DJs under the name Oblivinatti (a mashup of his favorite video game growing up, The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and his interest in conspiracy theories) — is evolving his sound production business Vibration…
Art and technology too often butt heads, festival planners say; River Market event paints a reality where they coexist
The River Market Art Festival is back after a 20-year hiatus — with a nod to the past and an eye toward the future, shared The AI Hub’s Taylor Burris and James Spikes, startup founders who are hosting the event in partnership with the River Market Community Association. The revival of the art festival —…
