News Stories

Kenyata Gant, Pink Lipps Cosmetics

Pink Lipps hits Target, putting KC cosmetics line in 41 retail markets where Black shoppers bring green

There’s no glossing over it, Kenyata Gant said. Black-owned businesses are thriving in the Midwest — and big box retailers are taking notice.  “I couldn’t believe it,” recalled Gant, owner of Pink Lipps Cosmetics, announcing the Kansas City-based cosmetics startup’s acceptance into 41 nationwide Target stores.  “I would always say how I would love to…

Luke Moberly Bumper

College student develops investing app for teens with $500K pre-seed confidence boost

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. LINCOLN,…

Aquila, Brett, Titus and Chantelle Jackson, KC Laser Co.

I can do that (better): How a home laser engraver burned a handcrafted apparel line — now sewn across KC — into reality 

Family man Brett Jackson wears his evolution as a serial entrepreneur as proudly as the Kansas City-love engraved on his line of custom leatherwork, hats and apparel, he said.  “The desire to continue to create propelled me into wanting to create physical items and tangible things,” said Jackson, a nationally recognized graphic designer and video…

Steve Cyrus, FirePoint Innovations Center, Wichita State University

Deploying tech to today’s American warfighter: FirePoint taps startup space to help modernize military

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. Modern…

Members of the Engenious Team: Nathan Asinger, Nick Fowler, Chris Justice, Trevor Lytle, Brendan McGeehan, and Tyler Kodanaz

Two Kansas companies engineer tool to vaporize hard-to-reach tumors with microwave tech

A Prairie Village product design firm is helping a nearby Kansas startup advance groundbreaking medical technology to treat previously-inoperable cancer tumors with minimally-invasive surgery. “Most of us have been affected by cancer through family, friends or our own experience, and we are delighted to help Precision Microwave create better tools to fight cancer,” said Chris…