Latest Stories

Chris Callen, CEO of Plot

Plot builds momentum as its new-to-market tool digs into construction communications tech gap

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. WICHITA…

Photo courtesy of Dimensional Innovations, LEGOLAND, Ferrari

This KC-designed LEGOLAND attraction puts young builders in the driver’s seat of their own Ferrari

Racers, start your (virtual) engines.  Dimensional Innovations has partnered with Merlin Entertainments and Ferrari to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, California, shared Spencer Farley. “We continue to liberate the world from mediocre experiences,” said Farley, an account director for Entertainment and Retail at the Overland Park-based design firm, Dimensional Innovations. …

Sean McIntosh, Foothold Labs

His portable lab can detect COVID in saliva within minutes; how this former Navy SEAL’s startup is expanding its target

Foothold Labs is on a mission to develop a next-generation, portable diagnostics system that can not only rapidly detect infectious diseases in saliva within five-to-eight minutes, but also indicate deadly contaminants in other common substances, shared Sean McIntosh. “To get equivalent results to our technology, someone would need to submit a sample to a professional…

Digital Sandbox Q1 2022 awardees: Dan Schwarzlander and Nick Bennet, VaccineAssist; Sean McIntosh and Sarah Steeby, Foothold Labs; Roger Ngo and Tam Tran, DataAppraisal; Lisa Cooper, Workplace Healing; Tyler Bolz and Will Strout, DataSource

Meet 5 new Digital Sandbox-funded startups poised as the next wave of KC innovation

A just-announced first-quarter cohort of startups are set to receive more than just $20,000 each in project funding from Digital Sandbox KC, said Jill Meyer, emphasizing the holistic support headed toward selected founders. “Early-stage funding is just one piece of the puzzle that helps our founders succeed and our startups accelerate toward commercialization and follow-on…

Troost mural by JT Daniels

Calling citizen scientists: KC Digital Drive asking residents along Troost to help measure air pollution

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by The Kansas City Beacon, a non-profit online news outlet focused on in-depth journalism in the public interest, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the twice-weekly Kansas City Beacon email newsletter. To learn about Kansas City air…

Bradley Gilmore, co-owner of Lula, celebrated his 40th birthday signing a long-term lease for his restaurant

New lease on life: ‘Southern cookhouse’ bringing fried flavor to former sushi space in Crossroads

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by CityScene KC, an online news source focused on Greater Downtown Kansas City. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the weekly CityScene KC email review. Brad Gilmore celebrated his 40th birthday last week with the gift he always wanted, the opportunity to run his…

The Greeting Committee

‘Beats, beer, biologics’ coming to KC: Check out the bands set for Innovation Festival’s debut

It might look like an indie rock music festival on the outside, but a just-announced, three-day event coming to Kansas City this summer is as much about the heartbeat of innovation in the region as the beats dropped by Grammy-nominated headliner Black Pumas, said Sonia Hall. “What we want to do is start to disrupt…

Kara Lowe, KC Tech Council

Kara Lowe taking KC Tech Council helm as longtime CEO Ryan Weber departs

The KC Tech Council will soon welcome a familiar face as its new leader, the organization announced Tuesday. Kara Lowe, the council’s longtime COO, will succeed Ryan Weber as CEO next month — putting her commitment to Kansas City’s tech sector on full display and allowing her contributions to the regions tech ecosystem to further shape…

Cara Hennessy, Sarah-Allen Preston, and Morgan Miller, afloat

Made in KC partners with afloat to provide same-day gifting of exclusive care packages

Kansas Citians can now get same-day delivery from the city’s largest local marketplace through afloat — a gifting app by one of the metro’s leading startups that allows community members to pick out and send neatly-packaged goods to their loved ones, said Sarah-Allen Preston. “We have always been huge fans of Made in KC, and…

Heidi Lehmann and Michael Prewitt, Kenzen

Kenzen shortlisted for Webby Award; Here’s how you can help make this Startup to Watch a People’s Voice winner

A Kansas City startup that’s gained accolades and hefty investment for its wearable health monitoring device is nominated for Best App and Software in the 26th Annual Webby Awards — the highest profile awards recognition for excellence on the Internet. “Nominees like Kenzen are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said…