Startups Stories

KC startup pairs with blockchain platform to build trust, value in premium beef genetics

A newly announced strategic collaboration is expected to help Lenexa-based Vytelle promote the value of feeder cattle, while simultaneously bringing more transparency to a critical market segment within the beef industry. The initiative between Vytelle and BlockTrust Network — an API-driven platform that leverages blockchain technology to enhance trust within the beef supply chain —…

Leveraging KC’s resources: How the right people at the right time can unlock a startup’s potential

The level of collaboration seen in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is unmatched by peer communities, said Jill Meyer, noting it’s not a phenomenon that developed by accident. And it takes transparency and trust, she added. “There is a lot of work that resource partners do to make sure that our companies and our founders have…

Looking for investors? A startup’s first ask shouldn’t be for money, leading VCs say

Most startup founders think of funding as transactional, Darcy Howe shared, but it’s actually relational. “You’ve got to have relationships with people long before they’ll fund and that includes angels and all the others,” the KCRise Fund founding managing director told a crowd gathered at UMKC’s Bloch Executive Hall for Startland News’ Kansas City Startups…

NXTSTAGE taps trio of KC entrepreneurs to help their companies grow revenue, scale

WICHITA — Three Kansas City startup founders are among 20 early-stage companies selected for the latest NXTUS program aimed at boosting innovation from within urban and rural areas throughout the state of Kansas. Joining the 2024 NXTSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort: Joy Broils, Hustle & Ground, Shawnee; Mark Lukenbill, Mpruv Sports, Basehor; and Crystal Webster, Sharing…

Study with USDA researchers affirms startup’s AI-powered facial recognition for cows can detect sick animals

A collaborative study between an Overland Park animal agtech startup and the U.S. Department of Agriculture successfully corroborated MyAnIML’s predictive ability to proactively manage devastating disease outbreaks in cattle production, the company announced this week. MyAnIML uses first-of-its-kind, proprietary facial recognition and deep learning technology to analyze cow muzzles — accurately predicting Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis…