Latest Stories
Fulcrum herds oversubscribed $13.2M round for KC cattle tech startup with KCRise Fund, iiM in the corral
A Kansas City-based precision livestock company will use its fresh Series A funding harvest to accelerate genetic progress and sustainably deliver more protein with fewer inputs, its top executive announced Tuesday. “Our mission is clear, and we are grateful for the support of our investors who join us on our journey to ensure meat and…
Airtasker fills Zaarly footprint, launching in KC (and bringing back gigs for local ‘Taskers’)
Airtasker announced this week the fast-growing Australian tech company with global aspirations has officially launched its U.S. presence via the Kansas City market — alongside pushes in Dallas and Miami — making good on plans shared with Startland News in June Next up: Atlanta, later this year. The news comes about four months after Airtasker — an…
New look, renewed outlook: Women-powered Firebrand Collective bringing coworking back to West Bottoms
A revamped Firebrand Collective is relaunching Oct. 1 in the West Bottoms after two months of extensive upgrades and renovations at the woman-focused coworking location, its owner announced Thursday. The hiatus allowed time to transform Firebrand from a coworking “space” to a coworking “community,” emphasized Megan Adams, founder and head of community at Firebrand Collective….
Why Jackie Nguyen is planning a permanent stop, safe space for Cafe Cà Phê in Columbus Park
After a year of serving culture in coffee, Jackie Nguyen has found a permanent home for her mobile Vietnamese cafe in the Columbus Park neighborhood, she said, but the actress-turned-activist plans to take an unconventional route to opening the storefront. “I want to create a different path and show that minority, first-generation women can start…
As new terminal nears, Cowork KCI sells amid 87-acre development along airport corridor
Cowork KCI might have new owners, but the coworking veterans behind the Northland venture aren’t stepping too far away from the gate, they said. The 8,000-square-foot flex office space at 12200 N Ambassador Drive — less than a five-minute drive from Kansas City International Airport — has sold to the Ambassador Building. Robert L. Curland and…
Chatbots to wedding insurance: Meet the four premium InsurTech startups selected for KC’s bcp tech accelerator
Four of the industry’s most-promising seed stage startups — an international mix of insurtech solutions — are expected to be the beneficiaries of Kansas City’s extensive insurance expertise, explained Nathan Kurtz, announcing the second cohort of the LaunchKC-backed bcp tech InsurTech accelerator. “We are very insurance focused,” said Kurtz, COO of Brush Creek Partners (bcp). “And there’s…
Edna Martinson notches another big win for Boddle, earning $100K from Google for Startups fund
The second cohort of a Google for Startups program focused on high potential ventures from Black entrepreneurs features a high-profile founder who built her company in Kansas City before relocating to Tulsa in 2020. The Black Founders Fund announced the selection of Edna Martinson, co-founder of Boddle Learning, Tuesday in a rollout of the 50…
WATCH: Startland News Reports – Kansas City VC-Backed Companies
Join Startland News for another edition of Startland News Reports as findings from its 2021 Kansas City VC-Backed Companies Report — a collaboration between UMKC’s Tech Venture Studio and Startland News — inform candid conversations with Kansas City-based startup founders and venture capital experts.
Grassroots ‘Kansas Cannabis Chamber’ sprouts as legalization looms; led by KC CBD mom-turned-industry advocate
For the first time in Sunflower State history, a bill to legalize medical marijuana passed in the Kansas House in May. Behind the effort: a locally grown coalition of cannabis advocates. The Kansas Cannabis Coalition formed in summer 2020, composed of about 50 individuals who have shown leadership in the cannabis industry, said Heather Steppe,…
Mixed Mutt fetches new home for doggie ice cream shop inside Crossroads pup space
Opportunity continues to bark for Mixed Mutt Creamery, Sherri Corwin said, announcing the dog-friendly ice cream shop will soon move from its Midtown storefront to join forces with another pet-focused small business in the Crossroads Arts District. “This is a huge opportunity for growth,” Corwin told Startland News, detailing a new partnership between Mixed Mutt…
