News Stories

Sarah Walsh, Tigersheep Friends

Watch: Tigersheep Friends creators build a ferociously off-beat, under-the-radar KC brand

From three-eyed leopards to strawberry cream giraffes, the creative minds behind Tigersheep Friends love illustrating off-beat versions of animals to keep their artistic passions alive, said Sarah Walsh.  When the husband-and-wife duo started the company in 2011, they were looking for an alternate creative outlet, said Sarah Walsh, co-founder of the online product line. Click…

Alexandru Otrezov, PayIt

PayIt hires former Uber disruptive marketing leader as KC govtech startup’s first CMO

Kansas City-based govtech startup PayIt is downloading executive expertise from the West Coast, John Thomson said Tuesday, announcing PayIt’s first chief marketing officer — a former leader at Uber. Based in San Francisco, Alexandru Otrezov will lead PayIt’s marketing organization and continue to accelerate the company’s brand and growth efforts, said Thomson, co-founder and CEO…

Victor Hwang, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 2019 State of Entrepreneurship address

Victor Hwang leaving Kauffman VP role; entrepreneurship becomes national priority ahead of 2020 political cycle

Ecosystem building has risen to the national conversation — marking the right moment for Victor Hwang to exit the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and its vision-rich entrepreneurship team, he said.  “A few years ago, people would talk about supporting entrepreneurs as if they were disconnected individuals … helping one entrepreneur at a time or maybe…

BacklotCars taking over full floor of new Lightwell building following $25M funding round 

A 20,000-square-foot space in one of Kansas City’s most recently remodeled downtown office buildings will allow BacklotCars room to continue expanding its team, while also impressing high-level targets, said Josh Parsons. “The location, design and amenities of the project are exactly what is needed to attract the top tech talent to Kansas City,” said Parsons,…

David Lintz and Stuart Ludlow, RFP360

RFP360 doubles in size since December; team back under one roof with move to new space

RFP360 is coming full circle, said Stuart Ludlow, as the software company he co-founded with David Hulsen in the Kansas City Startup Village once again levels up to accommodate a swelling team and increasing market demand. “We’re moving into a place — scale and scope — that Dave and I envisioned,” said Ludlow, who also…