Latest Stories
Pop-up spotlights Latinx + Chicanx makers and culture with plans to expand ahead
Aromas of authentic Mexican tacos and quesadillas greeted visitors at the Latinx + Chicanx Vendors, Makers and Artists Pop-Up Event hosted by the Latino Arts Foundation this past Saturday. “It’s been a tremendous day — we’ve been nonstop. But I love getting to meet a lot of different people and share our authentic Mexican food…
How one KC founder earned two exits before hitting 40 (Hint: Make time or don’t start)
Ten years after his first startup exit, Matt Watson finds himself at the finish line once again. “This time was a lot different than the last,” Watson, founder and CEO of Stackify, told Startland News, comparing his run with the APM solutions startup to his tenure as co-founder and CTO at VinSolutions — the startup that…
How can edtech startups tell if their products work? LEANLAB partners research tech use in real KC classrooms
A rebooted accelerator concept for LEANLAB Education put four edtech companies into Kansas City classrooms this spring — focusing more on helping founders conduct research on their products inside of schools and de-emphasizing previous entrepreneur training aspects of LEANLAB’s programming. “As the first program of its kind in the U.S., this inaugural cohort represents a turning…
Stackify sells to West Coast competitor; stacking another exit for startup veteran Matt Watson
Two of the country’s fastest growing companies have joined forces as Leawood-built Stackify reaches its exit, the tech startup announced Tuesday. Huntington Beach, California-based Netreo has acquired the company in an undisclosed deal, expected to enhance the IT infrastructure management (ITIM) platform’s full-stack IT monitoring and AIOps offerings — significantly boosting its overall customer experience. …
SnapIT sees 100 percent jump in female tech students; builds on ‘Future of Work’ summit
As the job market shifts in a post-pandemic world, an Overland Park company reports virtual training options and changes in coastal employer mindsets have opened access for women in tech like never before. “COVID created a situation where working from home has become a long-term solution, leading to more opportunities for the Midwest [talent overall],”…
‘Not an over-glorified hobby’: Comic book creator designs app to help vendors find conventions, sketch path to profitability
Juaquan Herron spent countless hours actively searching for comic conventions to share and sell his work — often feeling frustrated after learning about conventions too late, he recalled. “Especially starting out in the industry, I didn’t have many friends and wasn’t finding out about vending opportunities,” said Herron, who founded 2923 Comics and created the…
How a Columbia startup spun smart window tech into a holoflective gun scope that could help prevent accidental shootings
Innovation has no limits for Fielding Staton — and his company’s 250-plus inventions offer just a glimpse into how he and his team hope to shape the future. Among the most recent products to take shape inside the walls of Columbia-manufactured Windgo: a holoflective gun scope with the potential to save lives. “A lot of gun…
New in KC: How a Twitch powerhouse is building her following (and gunpla) from Kansas City
Editor’s note: New in KC is an ongoing profile series that highlights newly relocated members of the Kansas City startup community, their reasons for a change of scenery, and what they’ve found so far in KC. Click here to read more New in KC profiles. As her career leveled up, a Twitch-personality found herself headed back to Kansas City…
What began as a T-shirt line now boasts a coast-to-coast marketplace backing women-owned businesses
For women in entrepreneurship, competition can hinder collaboration, Tiffiney Baumgarden said, outlining her mission to judge less and live more. “I was really sick of the way women were talking to each other — particularly online,” said Baumgarden, founder and CEO of Crossing Broadway, detailing her experience (and that of many other local women she’s encountered,…
KC to DC: Students roll out legislation to ban secondhand smoke in vehicles; ‘Quit Kids Smoking’ nationwide
Editor’s note: Startland is the parent organization of Startland News, though this report was produced independently by Startland News’ non-profit newsroom. Click here to read more about Startland’s education and real-world learning work. Four teenagers from high schools across Kansas City have banded together in hopes of passing legislation to prohibit smoking products that contain…
