Startups Stories
Hack in traction: Startups learn hustle shortcode for winning customers, narrow focus
Drilling into the customer profile for his startup — an AI-powered, curated swag marketplace aimed at early stage tech companies — Ivan Hadzhiev used tailored resources from Wichita-based NXTUS to validate a complaint keeping prospective partners from buying in. In short, a lot of options — even for custom, branded merchandise — isn’t necessarily a…
Kansas’ bracket-style pitch competition just revealed 32 startups vying for its $25K prize
An innovation-led startup tournament taking Kansas by storm is just built different, said Conor Adler, announcing the nearly three-dozen contenders featured in this spring’s competition. “One of the most inspiring facets of Gamechangers and Champions is seeing founders from rural Kansas standing alongside entrepreneurs from our largest cities,” said Adler, investment manager for Wichita-based NXTUS,…
First he built the data infrastructure, then a $2B valuation: It’s new territory for AI in construction
LINCOLN, Neb. — When his Midwest startup launched, founder Luke Hansen had modest expectations for success, he said. Hansen was focused on building a sustainable business, not a billion-dollar company. “The immediate goal was like, ‘Can we make enough that we’re just not losing money every month, paying ourselves pretty low salaries?’” said Hansen, CEO…
This startup veteran’s new roadway safety tool turns any smartphone into a work-zone inspector
Worker safety within high-traffic roadway construction zones is stalled in the 1970s, said founder Zikomo Fields, driving the vision for a 21st century approach that uses tech to hit the brakes on fatalities. “There’s not a lot of software that is ensuring that these work zones are set up correctly,” said Fields, CEO of Kansas…
Pipeline plants seeds for ‘best of the best’ emerging founders: Meet its growing Pathfinder cohort
Entrepreneurs tapped for Pipeline’s latest rotation of Pathfinder programming reflect an expanded expression of the elite network’s founding principle: use a purpose-built community to close long-standing gaps for leaders who have historically lacked capital, resources, and networks. A sister program to Pipeline’s Fellowship, Pathfinder targets support to early-stage founders from underserved Midwest communities who often…