Latest Stories
Forget Gen Z vs Millennials: The real action is in Generation STEM, say Black & Veatch podcast hosts
A podcast designed by three young professionals at a leading Kansas City engineering firm is challenging stereotypes about STEM careers — and outdated narratives about people within their industry, said Becca Schmidt. “The basis of the Generation STEM podcast: how can we attract young, vibrant, fun talent through the three of us being on a…
Sisters hope to narrow industry gender gap with free video production workshop for women
When Stellar Image Studios recently opened its casting call for female videographers, the sisters behind the increasingly busy Kansas City production team discovered a talent pool not quite ready to hit the streets. “We had applicants who had the potential, but they didn’t have the skill yet,” said Amber Baulder, who co-founded Stellar Image Studios…
How LendingStandard’s new marketplace tapped into a record-setting real estate trend
A KCK startup opened a funding pipeline with its latest offering that exceeded $860 million in its first seven months of operation. MultifamilyDebt.com — a multifamily lending marketplace fueled by Kansas City, Kansas-based LendingStandard — announced the achievement Monday, signaling rapid growth in the midst of a record-setting era for real estate. “Providing quality loans and fast…
Kanbe’s Markets sees massive growth, plans expansion beyond KC as food insecurity surges
Kanbe’s Markets is growing its operations — cultivating 2020 success into plans to transplant healthy, fresh, affordable ingredients to food deserts beyond Kansas City. “Food insecurity is a problem that isn’t specific to just Kansas City, so our goal going forward is to maximize the impact of this program, to enhance health outcomes, and to…
Herd that beef was grass-fed? KC inventor’s cattle facial ID could drive steak through origin uncertainty
One of Kansas City’s most active serial inventors recently harvested his 88th patent, but it’s the revolutionary new way he’s using blockchain technology and augmented reality that’s turning heads (of cattle) down on the farm. Shekhar Gupta’s latest reveal: a facial recognition platform specifically designed to identify and track bovine for the bottom line — reducing…
Fund Me, KC: Overland Park couple takes on TechCrunch with women-focused digital tech publication
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Liza and Brian Thomas whose campaign supports funding the digital publication Coruzant Technologies — to share their crowdfunding stories in a simple…
Coming to a student’s iPad near you: Boddle launches in Apple App Store as edtech startup celebrates third birthday
A Kansas City-generated gamified math education platform is expanding its user base this weekend as Boddle Learning debuts the high-profile startup’s long-awaited iOS app version. The move is expected to most immediately benefit schools that use iPads, as well as parents at home who can now more-easily access the technology on mobile devices, said Edna…
Real-time translator: Shawnee Mission East grad uses Reddit to launch language-learning messaging app
A family move to Mumbai in his early teens gave Hank Breckenridge an appreciation for unfamiliar surroundings, the young entrepreneur from Leawood said. “While I lived in India, I got super interested in learning about different cultures and little bits of different languages. I had friends from 13 different countries and actually learned how to…
Destination whiskey: A newly bottled West Bottoms distillery sees KC barreling toward old fashioned fame
Innovation is intoxicating, Michael Hopkins said, pouring the story behind a newly-distilled whiskey company that hopes to do its part to put Kansas City grains on the maker’s map. “The more distilleries, the more Kansas City is going to get recognized for [its whiskey],” said Hopkins, one of three business partners behind West Bottoms Whiskey,…
Floraloom’s Colleen Monroe put her green thumb on the steering wheel, leaving LA for KC sunshine
Quarantine changed people — including Colleen Monroe, the serial entrepreneur said, looking back on the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Los Angeles and the day she loaded her car with a few personal belongings and as many vases as it could hold. Uprooting her once-busy life, she hoped growth opportunities might bloom in…
