Woman-led Stories

Eric Goeken, CTO, and Laura Steward, founder and CEO, VideoFizz

Startup’s tech hits Hallmark shelves with video greeting cards; partnership ‘worth the wait’

Kansas City creative giant Hallmark’s newly announced line of video greeting cards is more than a one-of-a-kind product innovation — it’s the outcome of an extended startup partnership that was years in the making, Laura Steward said. “In 2015, we won a Launch KC grant,” recalled Steward, founder and CEO of Kearney, Missouri-based VideoFizz, describing the…

Jonelle Jones, co-owner of Kind Food; photo by Jennifer Wetzel

Fill ’em with kindness: Why one plant-based eatery is moving it’s do-good mission to KCK

With every order up at Kind Food’s Iron District-forged counter, Kansas City becomes a little more compassionate — or at least compassion-curious, Jonelle Jones said, dishing on the do-good mission and plans for growth that will soon take the North Kansas City-based restaurant into the heart of Kansas City, Kansas.  “Eat more plants and be good…

Bearded Fellas

Bearded Fellas shave away ‘just a doll’ — leaving the beauty of everyday magic, people

Ali Bustos didn’t even know how to sew when she was gifted a sewing machine by her parents in 2008. More preoccupied with painting at the time, the machine sat mostly unused.  But when her first son was born, it was difficult to paint with a wiggly baby in her arms, she said.  Her yearning…

Clarence Tan and Edna Martinson, Boddle Learning

Boddle raises $1.35M with KCRise Fund on board, reaches 450,000+ students, expands team

Editor’s note: KCRise Fund is a financial supporter of Startland News. This report was produced independently of that relationship. TULSA — As schools across the country navigate in-person and remote learning models, Boddle Learning, a math gaming platform that was founded in Kansas City continues to grow, raising another round of more than $1 million…

Fresh Factory KC, India Wells-Carter; Cafe Cà Phê, Jackie Nguyen; Heart and Seoul, Rachel Cayetano; Peak Roofing - Mechanical, Jade Teixeira

Meet 10 finalists for AltCap Your Biz pitch payout; competition returns during GEW KC

A diverse group of nearly a dozen small businesses are advancing to the next round of the annual AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition with finalists ranging from a mobile vegan soul food service to a Northland selfie experience. The “Closing the Deal” live pitch event showcases the 10 best concepts from a pool of 43…