Woman-led Stories

Clarence Tan and Edna Tan, Boddle

Boddle’s new $350K investment comes with a catch: KC startup relocating to Tulsa

Pre-seed funding from Tulsa-based Atento Capital is expected to help accelerate Boddle’s gamified edtech platform amid an ongoing pandemic — but the infusion means the Kansas City startup will move south to work more closely with its new investor. “Our team is looking forward to the growth and impact that this investment will allow us…

Daya Johnson, Daya & Me

Repairing weapons to crocheting dolls: Soldier deploys maker skills to craft Daya & Me

Armed with a crochet hook — one more tool than the standard-issue weapons cache of her fellow soldiers — Daya Johnson was in a battle against time. Typically less than nine months. “In the middle of Kuwait, I had a huge tough box that was full of yarn that I had my sister send me…

Sarah Hill, StoryUp

Healium adapts VR to needs of COVID ‘stress olympics’ — wins P&G Ventures innovation challenge

Stress levels rose with the number of Coronavirus cases over the past few months — and neither seem headed for decline any time soon, said Sarah Hill, the recently announced winner of the P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge. “This is the stress olympics. Not everyone has trained for it. Not only are we trapped in our homes,…

Sara Kharatyan, Crown & Heart

Art teacher-turned-maker: You don’t need to be in a museum to be a ‘real artist’ (or full-time to be an entrepreneur)

Amid the hustle and bustle of raising a young family and teaching elementary school art, Sara Kharatyan sneaks away to her kiln.  It’s her quiet place; a spot just for her, tucked away in her Parkville home. And what started as a hobby is now padding her family’s bank account in unexpected ways.  “The business…

Potential innovation district site, Go Topeka

Developers plotting innovation district sites in state capital as Go Topeka creates animal health, ag hub

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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. TOPEKA…