Latest Stories
Made in Kansas City named TeamKC MVP for celebrating KC pride, promoting talent
With its sprawling footprint and focus on local creatives, Made in Kansas City is among the most valuable brands in the metro, TeamKC announced Friday, touting the startup as an economic development driver worthy of its MVP award. Made in KC — founded in 2015 as a retailer of Kansas City-centric and locally designed and made…
After expanding West Bottoms production, Convivial shaping new botanical concept in Crossroads
Bootstrapped design and manufacturing company Convivial is reaching out with a clay-covered hand from its West Bottoms production space to plant a Crossroads retail concept, said Chentell Shannon. “I feel grateful and I feel honored and excited and scared — I mean, growing a business is scary,” laughed Shannon, founder of Convivial. Having delivered handmade…
SPN report: KC underperformed on venture deals by $100M in 2018, despite cool jobs and connectivity
Google Fiber infrastructure and cool tech jobs alone aren’t enough to power a vibrant startup ecosystem rich with venture-backed investments, according to a new report that takes a critical look at Kansas City’s place within the Midwest economy. “The [Kansas City] community boasts the fastest broadband speed and is competitive in most of the other…
CB Insights calls KCRise most active VC in Kansas; Fund credits work of small team, innovative portfolio startups
Kansans don’t fear hard work, said Darcy Howe. An investment in such a mindset has come with big returns for the KCRise Fund, newly proclaimed the most active venture capital fund in the Sunflower State, according to CB Insights. “Perhaps overused but Margaret Mead’s quote, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens…
Overland Park-based CAPS education network launching cross-cultural program in India
The Center for Advanced Professional Studies’ (CAPS) first international affiliate program in India has the potential to break down geographic barriers to provide students with exposure to real workplace experiences on a global stage, said Corey Mohn. “I think [the American School of Bombay] is really the perfect partner to get started with,” said Mohn,…
New $750K investment round for Lula comes with partner in apartment management
Closing a $750,000 seed round is even more impactful with a strategic partner like Worcester Investments, said Lula founder Bo Lais. “We did have three other private investors, that were minority investors with two of them local, but it’s [become] more than just investment with [with Worcester],” said Lais, CEO of the Overland Park-based home…
Chronic Cow uses big data to attack pain: ‘I can still live a good life,’ founder with MS says
Half of all Americans have a chronic illness, said former TeraCrunch co-founder Dr. Kevin Payne. That somber reality, paired with uninvolved physicians, makes quality of life difficult for patients and the focus of Payne’s new venture, Chronic Cow, he said. “From a medical perspective, all I can do as a patient is what my physicians…
Mommy Meals designs simple dinner kits for delivery to new moms
KC-cooked startup Mommy Meals aims to serve impact — not just dinner — attempting to tackle a growing mental health experience one hot plate at a time, said its co-founders. “I truly believe if you’re in a tough spot — you’re down on your luck, you’re in a dark spot — I always tell people ‘Go…
FlipSwitch VR visualizes scaling its active, multiplayer gaming concept from Crossroads
Kansas City could be the virtual reality hub of America, said Michael Eichenseer, predicting Crossroads-located FlipSwitch VR will jumpstart the movement with the help of First Fridays foot traffic. “The owners [KC natives Jim and Jamie Mahoney] definitely want to expand,” said Eichenseer, host and marketing manager for the “epic scale, free-roam, multiplayer virtual reality”…
PHOTOS: Startland’s biggest event yet celebrates 2019 future newsmakers
Founders, investors and audience members were treated to a glimpse of their potential futures Thursday night during Startland’s Startups to Watch in 2019 celebration. The premier event — presented at the Copaken Stage by Kansas City-grown and headquartered H&R Block — showcased 12 companies featured on Startland’s recent list of the most anticipated newsmakers for…
