Latest Stories
Survival took more than just PPP — but federal relief proved pivotal, small biz owners tell Davids
Sharice Davids strolled through downtown Overland Park Friday afternoon — with an ice cream cone in hand — stopping to meet with local small business owners to hear their pandemic survival stories and how federal relief programs played a role. “Today has been really fun; to see just how innovative … the problem-solving modes that…
Talent off the charts: Bardavon recruits another former Cerner exec to build team equipped for rapid expansion
To keep growing in the workers’ compensation industry — as well as expand into commercial healthcare and beyond — Bardavon Health Innovations needs an even stronger team at the top, said Matt Condon. “I think Bardavon is going to be a bigger, more important company than we first anticipated,” Condon, founder and CEO of Bardavon,…
Olathe biotech startup represents Kansas in MassChallenge’s 50th accelerator program
More than 3,000 startups across the world applied to the 2021 MassChallenge accelerator program with Olathe-based biotechnology lab Ronawk earning one of the 229 slots to participate, shared A.J. Mellott. “[MassChallenge] has a really good reputation for accelerating companies that are in the startup mode and growing,” said Mellott, who co-founded Ronawk in 2019 with…
$4M investment powers Daupler hiring, expansion as startup scales into new verticals
A newly announced funding round for Daupler positions one of Kansas City’s top startups as “well-resourced and hiring like crazy” amid expansion plans and rapid entry into new markets, said CEO John Bertrand. The $4 million investment — led by San Francisco-based Burnt Island Ventures with participation from Revolution Fund, Runway Venture Partners, Knoll Ventures, and…
$250K in matching funds brings Prospect Urban Eatery free culinary training closer to boil
Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News, though this story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. A quarter-million-dollar grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expected to push The Prospect KC into operational scale in the months ahead, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant. News of the…
MindSport gains traction from Olympic-level athletes as founder turns his memoir into documentary
The world of athletics has become more in tune with the importance of mental fitness, mindfulness and the impact both have on athletic performance, said Ryan Stock. “With the pandemic, obviously that shut down athletics across the board. It added a ton of stress, anxiety [and] frustration for athletes of all levels. Athletics serves as…
How a KC mom and her 12-year-old co-founder are rewriting the book on entrepreneurship
Guiding young people through the ins and outs of entrepreneurship is a family affair for Tovah Tanner, a metro woman on a mission to create a Kansas City that thinks critically, holds values, and possesses life skills that build lasting wealth. “My son, Madden Tanner, is our co-founder. He’s 12 years old,” Tanner said, recalling…
Crafted within hip hop culture, Black-owned KC cannabis brand hopes to reshape a flowering industry
It isn’t enough to be first, Ronald Rice said, announcing Franklin’s Stash House’s entry into Greenlight stores — a move that sees the Kansas City cannabis company become the first Black-owned brand sold at a dispensary in the state. “While this deal represents a big milestone in the evolution of Missouri’s cannabis industry, the legacy of…
‘Feelings matter’: Why KC culture experts’ new anxiety rating could prevent stress from ruining careers
Editor’s note: The following story — a spotlight on a member of the Plexpod community — is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Measuring the unmeasurable is Culture Think Tank’s specialty when it comes to company culture, said William Lindstrom. “With the…
