Startups Stories

KC is capitalizing on recent wins: Here’s how it’s paying off for tech, biologics startups (and investors) 

Dan Kerr joined a chorus of area officials and investment leaders singing the praises of a region on the rise Tuesday during a Midwest-focused venture conference in downtown Kansas City. “I hope you engage with the city and see some of the awesome stuff going on here locally,” the event co-founder and partner at Flyover…

Building your eco-friendly dream home can be time suck, co-founders say; a new app gives renovators the keys to energy efficiency

KINGSTON, New York — Sustainability shouldn’t just be an add-on for new homebuyers or renovators, said Brad Johnsmeyer, noting recent improvements in technology make critical upgrades to elements like  insulation, water heaters, and solar features more financially accessible — but not always approachable to the everyday person. “It’s gotten to the point where it’s almost a…

KC startup’s assests acquired by InnovaPrep; founder says best partners share ‘niche’ expertise 

Clara Biotech was one of the first startups to complete BioTools Innovator’s accelerator in 2021, said Jim West; now the Kansas-built startup’s CEO is fully aboard the entrepreneur-boosting effort as associate director — and with his own company’s exit behind him. West, co-founder of Clara Biotech — which launched first-of-its-kind cancer detection in 2015 from…

Money in the tank: Health tech startup lands Pure Pitch Rally’s biggest catch of the day

The support of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community — and the “land sharks” at this year’s Pure Pitch Rally — means the world to MedCurate founder and CEO Ashley McClellan, she shared. “They have just wrapped their arms around me as I’ve transitioned from corporate America to the entrepreneurship space,” she continued. “I’m very grateful for…

LaunchKC liftoff: Meet 13 startups competing for their share of $300K in grant winnings 

Kansas City’s premiere grants competition returns in mere weeks with six $50,000 grants on the line, said Becca Castro, and more than dozen startup founders are being interviewed this week to help determine the winners. LaunchKC — a partnership between the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri, and the Downtown Council — plans to…