Woman-led Stories

Why one entrepreneur is Swiftly rolling up the warehouse doors for thirsty Chiefs parade-goers

Wednesday’s Chiefs victory parade will be the city’s third in four years, but for East Crossroads-based Wild Way Coffee, the 2024 rolling downtown-to-midtown event hits different, said Christine Clutton. The brand’s iconic mobile coffee camper — stationed in the Wild Way warehouse at 708 E. 19th St. for the winter — will once again open…

Crossroads collaboration brings booch on tap, kegs, mocktails to MO’s (new) biggest kombucha taproom

Brewer’s Alley in the East Crossroads is getting a new kind of taproom, Kortney Lee and Lisa Bledsoe shared. In a freshly bottled collaboration, Tea-Biotics Kombucha opened Missouri’s largest kombucha taproom Friday in the former home of Community Groceries Crossroads Market. “Beer is brewed; Kombucha is brewed, as well,” said Lee, who owns Community Groceries…

Crowdfunding platform for small businesses launches local hub for KC entrepreneurs

Editor’s note: KC BizCare is a partner of Startland News. A newly announced partnership with the international non-profit Kiva is expected to boost Kansas City entrepreneurs who have had difficulties securing traditional bank loans — offering access to social underwriting and affordable starting capital. Kiva Kansas City (Kiva KC), a crowdfunded microloan program for small businesses,…

Jill Meyer, UMKC Innovation Center

Digital Sandbox KC secures $450K to support startups’ prototyping, proof-of-concept needs

As Digital Sandbox KC marks its 10th year in 2024, the popular funding program — and a key marker of emerging success for young tech startups in Kansas City — has earned a new round of financial backing from the State of Missouri. Spread over three years, a $450,000 MOBEC (Missouri Building Entrepreneurial Capacity) project grant…

MTC grant puts ‘cherry on top’ for KC startup closing its seed round; two more local companies earn MO funding

A trio of Kansas City tech startups are among seven Missouri companies splitting $2.2 million in equity-based investments from the State of Missouri — a funding milestone that not only reflects momentum, but amplifies it, one grant-winning founder said. The Missouri Technology Corporation on Tuesday announced the awards from its IDEA Fund, with investments slated for…