Startups Stories
Animal health innovators: Building on a new frontier means do-overs, even when you got it right first
Kansas City-based ELIAS Animal Health earned full USDA approval for its bone cancer therapy for dogs earlier this year, but the road to commercialization has been long and anything but straight, Tammie Wahaus shared. The veteran CEO shared her story of pivots — including switching from human health to animal health and adapting to ever-changing…
LaunchKC opens grants competition with nationwide search; eying companies to call KC home
A popular grants competition that offers early stage tech companies the opportunity to win $60,000 in non-dilutive grants, downtown Kansas City office space, and access to scaling resources is back for 2025 — emphasizing startups with high-growth potential and equitable business practices. LaunchKC’s signature Liftoff grants competition opened applications Thursday, kicking off a nationwide search…
Mental reps and truth bombs: How this AI ‘coach-in-your-pocket’ strength trains minds before life’s hardest workouts
Building mental resilience should feel as natural as going to the gym, said Craig Mason, noting his new venture flexes a “performance psychologist, coach in your pocket, 24/7.” The emphasis: training the mind before crises hit. “Myndset is really designed to be a mental strength training platform,” said Mason, founder of the Kansas City-based startup….
LISTEN: How this startup helps brands ditch plastic without disrupting manufacturing
On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we sit down with Anthony Musumeci — CEO of Earthodic — to explore the future of sustainable packaging. Discover how Earthodic’s flagship product, Biobarc, delivers water-resistant, recyclable paper coatings made entirely from bio-based ingredients — closing the loop on waste without sacrificing…
Startup Crawl returns Sept. 19, marking Startland’s 10-year anniversary with KC innovation focus
Kansas City’s largest startup open house is back this fall — celebrating a decade of innovation alongside emerging builders and newsmakers. Set for Sept.19 and organized by Startland News, Startup Crawl will mark the newsroom’s 10-year anniversary with a high-energy showcase of the city’s entrepreneurial community. The event, presented by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation,…
