Startups Stories
10 Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2026
It’s that moment just before dawn, as Kansas City awakens to a new year — ripe with possibilities, potential and change. The light breaks and all eyes turn to the horizon; toward the looming FIFA World Cup, sports stadium shifts, and long-awaited developments and destinations coming on line. But tucked within the twinkling edges of…
NXTUS launches pilot competition for startups in Northwest Arkansas, fueled by $500K Walton grant
WICHITA — A Kansas-built innovation program is hitting the road — applying its successful model to Northwest Arkansas in a bid to expand growth opportunities for more early-stage companies and make the region a proving ground for technology that boosts health and economic vitality. Wichita-based NXTUS this week announced HealthCatalyst NWA, a pilot initiative that aims…
Enduralock validates its prototype in zero-G simulation, edging closer to future on-orbit missions
The successful completion of form, fit, and function testing for Lenexa-based Enduralock’s OneLink satellite docking connector marks a critical leap forward for the hardware, said Dr. Harold Hess — earning his Kansas City-built technology a ticket aboard future space launches. “By proving the hardware’s soft docking and self-alignment capabilities work in a simulated zero-gravity environment,…
Icorium earns $1.2M SBIR grant; CEO Kalin Baca honored as 2025 Enterprising Innovator
A just-announced infusion of federal grant dollars is expected to help a Lawrence startup scale its breakthrough technology from pilot validation to a full commercial process — boosting efforts to dramatically reduce the climate impact of refrigerants used in air conditioners, heat pumps and refrigeration systems. Icorium Engineering Company on Wednesday released details of a…
Exporting KC to the world: Esports leader revs come-from-behind global takeover amid World Cup’s big draw
As the metro bundled up and showed out Friday, getting its latest taste of what the 2026 World Cup has in store, the Kansas City Pioneers dropped new heat — raising the thermostat on their commitment to seize the moment brought forth by the global gathering as a net for esports. “Now is the time for…
