Latest Stories
2022 Kansas City’s VC-Backed Companies Report
The metro’s field of venture capital-backed companies is getting more crowded — their payrolls swelling with new employees — amid a bounce-back from the global pandemic and new signals of Kansas City’s momentum, according to data in a new report from Startland News. The 2022 Kansas City Venture Capital-Backed Companies Report provides an updated snapshot into…
Sicilian legacy meats its match: Why this rising star on KC’s food scene was DiCapo’s pick to take over family pizzeria after nearly 100-year run
As a teenager working in downtown Kansas City in the 1990s, Theresa Santos found herself spending her breaks and spare time at the Italian Gardens restaurant on 12th and Baltimore, she recalled. Growing up in New York City and infatuated with Italian culture and food, Santos quickly became friends with the staff — then the…
You shouldn’t have to drive through hell to find a car, founder says; Startup brings concierge service to online auto customers
Not all car buyers want to be in the driver’s seat — especially when attempting to navigate a disconnected roadmap of dealer-focused online marketplaces, said Eric Westphal. “Years ago, when I was looking for a car, I knew what I wanted and I couldn’t find it locally,” said Westphal, describing the inspiration behind Overland Park-based…
‘Perfect for new mRNA vaccines’: Olathe startup targets biotech toward precision delivery
A sudden, then lingering, global pandemic put a spotlight on vaccine technology — with an Olathe startup now positioning itself at the leading edge of both pharmaceutical and vaccine applications for humans and their four-legged counterparts. “We manufacture and develop peptide delivery systems to help deliver drugs and vaccines safer and more effectively,” said Steve…
Hy-Vee plans summit, pitch competition with $45K+ in investments for minority-, women-owned businesses
A Midwest supermarket chain announced this week a new event to help showcase its commitment to advancing minority- and women-owned companies at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit is set for Sept. 27 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, courtesy of the Chiefs, and is expected to feature…
KC Digital Drive awards $20K in digital literacy micro-grants; aims to boost digital inclusion
KC Digital Drive announced today its first cohort of micro-grant recipients for “KC Goes Tech,” a new program that helps community organizations teach digital skills, such as how to use email and stay safe online, and it connects participants to funding for home internet and a computer they can take home after completing 15 hours…
Column raises $30M with a mission to make public information systems more valuable
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. MANHATTAN,…
Gardner swag startup bags $150K from Minnesota-based accelerator for bootstrappers
PromoPulse, a Kansas software company that enables promotional product businesses to grow their sales and simplify marketing, announced today it raised $150,000 from the TinySeed accelerator program. The funding and TinySeed’s collaborative network will fuel PromoPulse’s mission to amplify the sales and marketing of businesses that sell swag — also known as the promotional products…
These chefs are baking fine dining (and shareable small plates) into one of KC’s favorite cookie spots
Classic Cookie by day; Wild Rose Bistro by night. Two dining concepts will share the same space in Waldo as Chef Bryan Sparks builds a new menu — and business — from his obsession with food and growth. “It doesn’t really make sense for us to get another brick-and-mortar spot,” said Sparks, who launched the rebooted…
‘The opposite of growth is death’: Why the founder of EquipmentShare is driven by process, not an end goal
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. COLUMBIA,…
