Startups Stories
Healium partners with T-Mobile, transporting veterans to DC memorials via virtual Honor Flight
Veterans living in rural America can experience the sights and sounds of the nation’s war memorials in Washington D.C. thanks to a Kansas City-area startup’s virtual reality technology, powered by T‑Mobile 5G. “We are losing our World War II veterans at a rate of hundreds a day, and sadly many may not live long enough…
Torch.AI set to create nearly 500 new KC jobs; why region’s ‘tapestry of talent’ means aggressive hiring ahead
A Leawood-based artificial intelligence firm on Friday announced plans to create nearly 500 full-time jobs in the region over the next five years — with the backing of the State of Kansas and the boost of a recent $30 million round. Building a tech company in Kansas City is the furthest thing from an uphill…
How a KC native translated his family business into a development-to-delivery logistics firm
Kyle Davis is connecting the globe to his hometown through Modus Light, his manufacturing and supply chain management provider. “Modus Light allows companies to have a single source supplier for their multiple product lines, [so then] they only need to manage us,” explained the founder and CEO of Overland Park-based Modus Light. “We’re the ones…
$1.7M+ crowdfunding haul puts ChessUp in attack position for production, hiring top talent
The makers of ChessUp are at a million-dollar advantage after the close of their first crowdfunding campaign. “It’s what we dreamed about and hoped for,” Jeff Wigh, CEO and one of three co-founders behind Bryght Labs, maker of ChessUp, said of the company’s first Kickstarter campaign and its $1.703 million close late last month. Becoming…
Overwhelmed, but not alone: How a KC serial entrepreneur helps Black founders move beyond side hustles and daydreaming
As Kira Cheree drove down I-70, headed west from Kansas City to Manhattan, Kansas, she recalled the years of work that put her in the driver’s seat and behind the wheel at that particular moment. “I started to notice this trend,” said Cheree, a serial entrepreneur, looking back on consulting work she’d done with Black…
