Startups Stories
KC startup helps Nashville tornado survivors escape into VR ‘mental health armor’
Locally built virtual reality tools are helping victims cope after a suspected EF4 tornado devastated part of Nashville early Tuesday morning. “We grabbed headsets and we went to the shelters to see if individuals wanted to escape and relax,” Sarah Hill, founder of Healium, explained of the startup’s reaction to the storm that killed more…
AI, robotics innovator Tesseract Ventures secures $2M investment from UMB Capital
One of Kansas City’s leading startups is making good on a teaser that it’s collaborating with local “titans of industry” to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies. Tesseract Ventures — which uses robots, smart spaces, wearables and connected platforms in its mission to make industries smarter, better connected and more efficient…
Whiteboard2Boardroom connections advance innovation for startups like Aware Vehicles
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Sarah Mote is marketing director for UMKC Innovation Center and KCSourceLink. The right introduction, at the right time, can make a world of difference. Tech entrepreneur P.J. Piper came to Kansas City six years ago to scale another venture. What he had: entrepreneurial…
Startup to Watch exit: KC’s Signal Kit found momentum — and a buyer — on West Coast
An edtech firm with deep roots in Kansas City’s startup community is being integrated into its new West Coast owner’s school communications platform, the companies announced Monday. Signal Kit — one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2019 — was acquired by Santa Barbara, Calif.-based ParentSquare in an undisclosed cash and equity…
Tohi ventures down a Midwest ‘rabbit hole’ to discover a rare berry good enough to drink
Tohi Ventures is on a quest to save the planet — one rare-berry infused beverage at a time. “I was literally doing Google research on unique ingredients, specialty crops … these one-ingredient wonders,” explained Shari Coulter Ford, CEO and co-founder of Tohi Ventures — maker of Tohi, an antioxidant-rich beverage available in four, all-natural flavors. …
