News Stories

It took a relentless ‘army’ of Topekans to open this innovation hub; now it’s time to build

TOPEKA — Moving the capital city’s crown jewel innovation space from start to finish was anything but a straight-line endeavor, said Molly Howey, describing the focus — and patience — that helped push the project forward, despite plenty of opportunities for collaborators to give up. “This is one of those events that I really don’t…

AI without WiFi: Ag health innovator muzzles a gatekeeper soiling tech for rural ranchers

MyAnIML’s autonomous edge monitoring system is allowing ranchers to go (or stay) off the grid — addressing a primary barrier preventing them from adopting advanced agricultural technology, explained founder Shekhar Gupta. The Overland Park-based agtech startup — whose patented technology uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict a broad range of total health indicators…

Someone will win $1M listening to this song; how a KC artist juiced MrBeast’s cryptic Super Bowl commercial

It isn’t necessarily an official clue, but one of the many easter eggs tucked within MrBeast’s just-premiered “Million Dollar Puzzle” features a Kansas City plot twist: the “epic” cut of Cheyenne Jolene’s pop-pounding single “Juice.” Launched as part of a Salesforce ad with more than 100 million Super Bowl viewers, the commercial challenges savvy audience…

Here’s how crypto could find its way into local political candidates’ election campaigns

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by The Beacon, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story from The Beacon, an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest….

Network Kansas-backed collaborators ignite new entrepreneur training in Douglas County

TOPEKA — A northeast Kansas entrepreneur training program aimed at exploring and validating new business ideas is expanding into Lawrence and Douglas County — deepening equitable opportunities and boosting regional resources, said Michael Odupitan. Organizers are widening access to the Ignite: New Venture Discovery program, through a new collaboration between the Shawnee Startups eCommunity — housed at…