Latest Stories
PayIt announces $100M+ funding round from single investor
Simplifying government services through tech just got easier for Kansas City-based startup PayIt. All thanks to a funding round of more than $100 million, the company announced Thursday. UPDATED: ‘Transformative’ $100M+ investment for PayIt means KC GovTech startup will boost hiring PayIt — named one of Startland’s 10 Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2018 — received the…
Time for apathy is over, Condon says; Advocates make business case for Pre-K funding
Kansas City’s unequal playing field for children and inconsistent access to early education programs has a distinct ripple effect into the business community, Matt Condon said, advocating for Mayor Sly James’ Pre-K for KC initiative. “I don’t make any apologies about what a great city this is. But on this issue in particular, we are…
$4M childcare center on Prospect could be pivotal for urban core development
Students who grow up in Kansas City’s urban core shouldn’t be denied access to a quality education based on their address, Myron McCant said as he thumbed through renderings of a 15,000-square-foot learning space that could soon grant such students access to a brighter future. “If you would come into my facility, then you would…
Next KCMO mayor needs this personality trait to build trust, Sly James says
The role of mayor doesn’t always require being “the lead dog on the sled,” said Sly James. Rather, it’s an opportunity for a bridge between those knowledgeable enough to make change, the outgoing KCMO mayor added. “I sit in a position where — let’s say generally, not always — when I call, people call me…
KCMO mayoral vote: Confused? Undecided? Seven FAQs for those still on the bubble
Amid nearly three dozen Kansas City mayoral candidate forums, Startland readers raised a round of questions — some easy to answer, others loaded — but each invested in seeing who will emerge from the shadow of popular, bow tie-wearing mayor, Sly James, to lead KCMO. Here’s a breakdown of the most frequently asked questions about…
Candidates agree: KCMO needs an entrepreneurial mind in the mayor’s office … but what does that mean?
Kansas City was born of an entrepreneurial spirit, said Steve Miller. “We were all in the spirit head of the Westward Expansion, and [were] entrepreneurs from the very beginning,” said Miller, candidate for the Kansas City, Missouri, mayor, last month during the StartupKC Small Business and Entrepreneurship Mayoral Forum. “We need a mayor that has…
Liberty-based CAPE Industries scores $1.45M round, ‘global reach with a home base feel’
A commitment to Kansas City shouldn’t limit a company’s reach, Allen Gibson said on the heels of a million-dollar-plus funding round, successfully closed Tuesday by his startup, CAPE Industries. “This is a global product. We have a global team [put in place] and we’ve organized from Day 1 to be a global company based in Kansas…
Startup leader: A new mayor is coming, with many good options on the April 2 ballot
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chris Brown is the founder of Venture Legal where he represents startups, freelancers, and small businesses. This column (originally published by Venture Legal) is not intended as an endorsement of any particular Kansas City, Missouri, mayoral candidate. Kansas City is “on a roll,”…
KCultivator Q&A: Sarah Mote inspired by radical thinkers, lowbrow humor, taking KCSourceLink social
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Quiet startups fueled by overcoming struggles are always the most fascinating stories,…
KCMO adds $350K for entrepreneurs to proposed city budget after advocates’ last-minute push
Kansas City entrepreneur advocates gained more momentum Thursday in their bid to receive greater civic support for startups and small businesses. “Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the driver of the Kansas City economy,” KCMO councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Scott Wagner told Startland Thursday afternoon, following the approval of the city’s $1.73 billion budget. An…
