News Stories

Bracket bash winner nets $50K in pitch doubleheader; three KC startups score spots among final four

Kansas came in clutch Tuesday — doubling the grand prize pool for this week’s Gamechangers and Champions pitch competition just before tipoff. Its jersey-clad winner scored $50,000 and a top seed among investors gathered for the state’s bracket bash for emerging entrepreneurs. “When you’re in a startup business, money never hurts, non-dilutive money even more…

Great Jobs KC secures $680K federal grant to launch 100 women into nontraditional careers

A federal initiative designed to break down modern barriers in high-demand, high-wage industries also honors the historic legacy of women in the workforce, said Karolyn Dreiling, announcing a $680,000 grant to help Great Jobs KC boost apprenticeships. “This grant is a game-changer for women in our community who are ready to break into industries where…

This diehard sports fan is pitching a new platform to get KC’s young athletes paid

NIL deals give student athletes a greater opportunity to financially benefit from their name, image, and likeness while in college, and now Chris Owings wants to extend that opportunity to Kansas City area youth athletes, he shared. “One of the things that really motivated me was when the Royals signed Jac Caglianone,” explained the founder…

KCMO launching ‘Full Tilt Film Festival’ to showcase intersection of sports, film, culture

Six weeks after World Cup visitors wave goodbye, Kansas City is set to welcome sports and entertainment industry executives, celebrities, professional athletes and fans for a new signature event celebrating the art and business of sports storytelling, Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Tuesday.  The Full Tilt Film Festival — slated for Aug. 28-29 across various venues…

Iconic KC BBQ spot opening ‘Joe’s Next Door’ in former Taco Republic across the street

A beloved Kansas City barbecue is set to debut a new neighborhood restaurant concept — its first new location in nearly a decade — open every day of the week. The owners of Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que plan to launch Joe’s Next Door in May, in the former Taco Republic complex — just across Mission…