News Stories

Matthew Marcus, Good KarMa Capital

KC tech guru, startup advocate talks cryptocurrency’s value: ‘History doesn’t always repeat itself, but it often rhymes’

Cryptocurrency eventually will cause the most significant exchange of wealth mankind has ever experienced, Matthew Marcus forecast, and the web developer-turned-startup community organizer hopes to help others get involved early.  “We are essentially in the early 1990s of the internet. The same way we talked about the internet and email 20-some years ago, will be…

Fahteema Parrish, Parrish & Sons Construction

Watch: Meet the band of local contractors behind the development of Troost Village 

Editor’s note: The following story includes the second video in a four-part series taking a look under the hard hats at the Troost Village development, a $162 million project on Troost Avenue, the city’s longtime racial dividing line. Videos in this series are expected to debut on Startland News as the project unfolds. Click here…

How library advocates turned the page after COVID with a ‘tidal wave’ of online sales

Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by Academy Bank, a Kansas City based community bank, and is part of a series of features spotlighting some of the bank’s startup and small business partners. Even a storied community resource relies on innovation for its survival, said Shanta Dickerson, noting classic trust and accountability also have…

Patrick Mahomes II, Whataburger

Whataburger planning 30 new KS-MO restaurants with help of KC’s newest serial investor: Patrick Mahomes

A years-long effort to bring a Texas burger chain to Kansas City is turning into a bigger order than Whataburger fans likely ever dreamed — all with the help of brand superfan and now chief investor Patrick Mahomes II. Whataburger on Tuesday announced plans to open 30 new restaurants — spanning from Wichita, Kansas to…

Willy Schlacks, EquipmentShare

Why a new founder-first Midwest incubator sees scarcity as a source of strength

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. COLUMBIA,…