Startups Stories

Union Station, Kansas City

Startups, offices in path of Chiefs parade closing to party amid travel concerns

A long-awaited parade and rally celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory is set to snarl traffic across the metro Wednesday, shutting down much of the city’s downtown-to-midtown business districts — rippling across a startup community eager to join in the fanfare. Set for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, the parade is expected to draw more…

2020 celebration photos: Startups find value in being watched — $2.6M across 520+ stories

Editor’s note: The celebration event showcasing Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020 was sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works with communities in education and entrepreneurship to increase opportunities that allow all people to learn, to take risks, and to own their success. Ten of Kansas City’s…

Ori Goldwasser, Vu Radley, Jonathan "JP" Platz, and Mark Launiu, MADE MOBB

Three months’ rent in 24 hours: How Chiefs’ Super Bowl run already MADE one brand’s 2020 

Super Bowl Sunday was a holy time for members of the MADE MOBB, but it was hardly a day of rest for the team behind Kansas City’s most iconic streetwear brand. After prepping the custom T-shirt press in the back of MADE’s Crossroads storefront late Saturday — in hopes of a new, limited drop celebrating…

Hunter Browning, Ben Schultz, and Tyler Prochnow, LaborChart

LaborChart builds its value with ‘robust’ Series A capital injection from Five Elms

A recently closed injection of growth and scale capital will help Kansas City-based LaborChart strengthen its team, expand the company’s market position and accelerate domestic and international growth, said Ben Schultz. The move — finalized in the final days of 2019 and announced Thursday — is expected to jolt the team from a headcount in…

2018 LaunchKC winners

‘NEXT Missouri’ coalition launches policy push to renew MTC funding; EDCKC backing effort

A new effort by a coalition of Missouri policy-focused organizations aims to give Show Me State entrepreneurs a voice among legislators, as well as renew funding for an agency known for providing meaningful cash injections to Kansas City startups. Among the key priorities for NEXT Missouri — a 17-member-strong group, backed by the Economic Development Corporation…