News Stories

Brad Starnes, Splitsy

Divide and conquer: Splitsy pulls $70K from crowdfunding, ‘extra bump’ toward launch 

Splitsy is ready to cash in on its widespread consumer appeal, revealed Brad Starnes, announcing the close of the startup’s first crowdfunding campaign and what it might mean for its rapidly scaling future.  “We’re sitting at about $130,000 in funding right now,” said Starnes, co-founder of Splitsy, noting a nearly $71,000 chunk of the startup’s…

KC Pioneers leadership team 2021

KC Pioneers secure six-figure funding from up-and-coming investment firm backed by MySidewalk exec

“Investment” goes deeper than simply writing a check, Mark Josey said, noting Kansas City’s premier esports league plans on being intentional in raising its $2 million seed round.  “When you’re looking for partners, investors and sponsors, it starts at the core with asking: Do they believe in our mission, vision and value? Do they have…

Myron McCant and Penny Dale-McCant, KD Academy

KC couple’s 15-year journey evolves into $4M 24-hour child care center in urban core

A multimillion-dollar expansion for KD Academy is expected to upgrade the early learning and child care center’s capacity from 95 to 430 students at its new headquarters on Prospect Avenue — a redevelopment boon for the east side corridor and the extension of a family’s long-running mission. “Our goal starting out was to create a…

TJ Roberts, Kinship Cafe

Why KCK’s ‘dopest, 7-fingered, adopted, biracial business owner’ is serving kinship, coffee at his new cafe

When a new coffee shop in KCK’s Strawberry Hill neighborhood opens this fall, the space is expected to feature more than just specialty roasts — with financial literacy programming, community workouts and hip hop yoga sessions on the menu. “It’s never been about, ‘How can I make the most money the fastest?’” said TJ Roberts,…

Nika Cotton makes a drink at Soulcentricitea, which she opened on Troost Ave. last July. Cotton applied for a grant from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, but did not receive any money. Photo by Zach Bauman/The Beacon

Beacon analysis: Restaurant relief funds flowed to whiter, more affluent areas of Kansas City

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by The Kansas City Beacon, a nonprofit, public-service journalism newsroom serving Kansas and Missouri. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the free Kansas City Beacon email newsletter. Local businesses received a total of $53 million from the fund, but few of those dollars flowed…