Startups Stories

Gatekeepers hate to see them coming: Why Back2KC leaders think these outsiders could be the next best Kansas Citians

A Kansas City homecoming movement with a track record of sparking real relocations and startup investment is gearing up for its annual gathering — welcoming expatriates and newcomers alike as it seeks to deepen ties between the city and its far-flung alumni. But the program’s high-octane leader insists the work of Back2KC isn’t just about…

KC-built AI command center helps businesses gain superpowers without losing their tech stack

First envisioned as an AI-powered agent built to streamline operations at Kansas City-based Plexpod’s coworking spaces, Intuidy has evolved into its own operating system; one that is transforming the way companies operate, co-founder Grayson Smith said. Vantage — Intuidy’s flagship platform launched in early 2024 with the help of Smith’s brother, Gentry — is a…

LPOXY initiates $28M Series A financing with 5 Horizons Ventures to fund pivotal trial 

PLATTE CITY, Mo. — Funding to secure the upcoming trial of a Missouri biopharmaceutical company’s solution for preventing a deadly gut infection could prove critical in the fight against a condition that claims 80 U.S. lives daily, said Dr. Larry Sutton. LPOXY Therapeutics, which is developing a novel non-antibiotic therapy to prevent Clostridioides difficile infections…

When farmers get paid faster, everyone eats; HitchPin brings fintech to ag, good to humanity, founder says

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  The fintech revolution typically overlooks agriculture, Trevor McKeeman said, noting that any move to bring tools — like a payment platform within a digital marketplace — definitely breaks ground for…

LISTEN: Founder on his third startup shares his ‘toilet test’ for culture, talks the lonely eship rollercoaster from Ireland to Topeka

On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we chat with Barry McDonogh — CEO of Hinalea Imaging — to uncover how cutting-edge hyperspectral imaging is changing the way industries see the world. From food safety and agriculture to pharmaceuticals and defense, Hinalea’s technology reveals the invisible — capturing data…