Latest Stories
Pitches and peaches: Hy-Vee awards $30K piece of the $50K prize pie to family-run cobbler company
Denisha Jones sweetened Hy-Vee’s OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit and pitch competition this week with her ready-to-bake cobblers. Her pitch (and peaches) secured the $30,000 grand prize. “Every time Thanksgiving comes around, I always crave my grandmother’s cobbler. During the pandemic, I was unsuccessful in finding a cobbler as good as my grandmother’s, so I went…
Meet six newly funded startups Digital Sandbox KC is making more fundable tomorrow
Newly awarded funds are expected to help six more companies scale their fledgling startups past the proof-of-concept stage, said Jill Meyer, touting Digital Sandbox KC’s track record of making startups and their products more fundable once they’re built. “Digital Sandbox KC is one of the Kansas City metro’s rare early-stage funds and provides vital support…
Coming soon: 8 new tech startups set for ‘lucky No. 7’ Pure Pitch Rally spot-cash event
From nutrition to logistics, local entrepreneurs continue innovating solutions that could result in Kansas City’s next unicorn, said Karen Fenaroli. Eight such potentially game-changing tech startups are expected to showcase their ideas next month, she announced Tuesday. The seventh annual Pure Pitch Rally is set to return Oct. 17 at the Burns & McDonnell Global…
New VP, investments among strategic scale-up efforts at Overland Park healthcare startup
ModRN Health has dramatically accelerated over the past year, said CaRessa Hutchinson, detailing moves that include more patients, new funding and the addition of an on-call expert in fast-growing startups. With more than 80 clinicians (nurses and doctors) on its team, the Overland Park-based virtual primary care solutions company is now providing family healthcare, plan…
Best in the US: ‘Market days are work days,’ but all are welcome at OP’s award-winning farmers’ market
More than 7,000 farmers’ markets across the United States competed for the title of “America’s Favorite Market” — but voters ultimately picked Overland Park’s community of vendors and entrepreneurs as the cream of the crop. “The Overland Park Farmers’ Market is the heart of this vibrant and diverse neighborhood where all are welcome,” said Kristina…
Alchemy Sandbox winners lean into challenge of live pitches as Porter House KC awards third-round checks
A third round of Alchemy Sandbox winners each walked away with more than a $5,000 check this week after an intense live pitch experience for the entrepreneurs behind three Kansas City Main Street ventures and two support organizations for Black businesses. “It was interesting to see how I had all this information in my head,…
Tech piloted in KC classrooms went viral, now Boddle has raised $3M in seed funding
TULSA — Funding for its rapidly scaling education gaming platform is expected to fuel Boddle Learning’s nationwide growth, as well as help the startup expand its product offerings outside of math and develop new interactive multiplayer experiences. “It’s always been one of our goals to inspire learning anywhere,” said Edna Martinson, co-founder of Boddle, describing…
Bellwethr acquired by ecommerce payments platform; merger to boost Shopify brands
A Kansas City startup’s machine learning tech is expected to bring its new owner’s vision to reality: driving new revenue for Shopify brands plagued by churn among subscribers. Bellwethr announced the acquisition Thursday, detailing the company’s merger with Park City, Utah-based Retextion. As part of the undisclosed deal, Retextion will integrate Bellwethr’s popular churn reduction…
BacklotCars co-founder set to be honored as UMKC’s regional Entrepreneur of the Year
A founder who helped drive one of the metro’s biggest startup exits is expected to be heralded in October as UMKC’s Kansas City Entrepreneur of the Year. Justin Davis, co-founder and CEO of BacklotCars, will take the stage Oct. 12 alongside five other honorees — business leaders who have shaped entrepreneurship, according to officials at…
His fitness app pays users to workout, but what they really want is body transformation, founder says
Jasper Sanders founded Deposit The Work to incentivize users to stick with their fitness goals, he shared, but now he’s emphasizing accountability with the app’s latest feature. “The whole idea behind CoachConnect+ is providing a platform for individuals who are stuck on their fitness journey, unsure on where to start, [or] don’t know how to…
