Latest Stories

Ernest Pereira, Duinodrive

Teenage inventor creates retro game console that fits in your palm

For teenage entrepreneur Ernest Pereira, gaming is going small. The 18-year-old innovator is releasing a limited run of his retro game console, the Duinodrive, before shipping off to the Naval Academy in the summer. The Duinodrive — which can fit in the palm of your hand — comes in a kit that users assemble themselves…

Beth Ellyn McClendon: If you want investors, skip LLCs and form a C-Corp

Editor’s note: Beth Ellyn McClendon is a seed-stage investor with board and advisory board experience. She previously worked in design and product management for Google Mapping, Android, YouTube, Cisco and Netscape. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. So, you’re planning a startup, you’ve got a good lawyer and now you’re thinking…

Popular TEDxKC won’t return in 2018; organizers to focus on women, youth events

TEDxKC — one of the largest and most-popular independently-organized TEDx events in the world — won’t be back for 2018. While TEDxYouth@KC and TEDxKCWomen are expected to return in 2018, hitting pause on TEDxKC’s “general ideas” event will allow organizers to reflect on accomplishments, missteps and milestones, said Mike Lundgren, co-founder of TEDxKC. “We asked two…

Sickweather team

Fitbit integrating Sickweather illness forecasting into new wearables

Sickweather is stepping into the wearables market. A new partnership with industry leader Fitbit is expected to see the Kansas City-based startup’s illness forecasting technology integrated into Fitbit’s new products. “Smartwatches provide a powerful platform to deliver important health tools that help our users manage conditions more conveniently than ever before,” said James Park, co-founder…

Matthew Korte, Tapyness

Surveys, rewards dying: Tapyness scores customer feedback with one-tap, 3-second experience

No one takes 15-minute surveys anymore, said Matthew Korte, co-founder of Tapyness, a Lawrence-based customer experience platform that provides real-time feedback via kiosks in client businesses. A typical Tapyness interaction takes three seconds, he said. “We’re down to the millisecond, and we’re aggregating hundreds of tablets simultaneously within one brand to go: ‘Here’s the health…

Lean Lab rebrands to reflect its evolution within education innovation

The Lean Lab has announced a rebranding effort to better reflect and differentiate it from other groups in education innovation, said co-founder Katie Boody. Unveiling a new look in late April, the Kansas City-based organization is now LEANLAB Education, which Boody hopes will better communicate its mission, she said. “We know the nature of our…

Roy Scott, Reggie Gray, H3 Enterprises

H3 win at Regnier challenge puts Roy Scott $20K closer to his slice of $3B edtech market

The oversized novelty checks are piling up at H3 Enterprises’ headquarters in the Crossroads. Founder Roy Scott secured another $20,000 in prize money Friday, winning top honors in the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge. “We are continuing to grow and preparing to launch our new technology in schools across the country,” he said in social media…

Fund Me, KC: WISE IoT tech aims to lower energy bills, decrease carbon footprint

Editor’s note: Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” feature to highlight area entrepreneurial efforts to accelerate businesses or projects. If you or your startup is running a crowdfunding campaign, let us know by contacting news@startlandnews.com. Today’s featured campaign is from Kansas City-based Wise Power Inc. Who are you? My name is Kevin Williams…

Wonder Shops and Flats

Wonder Shops and Flats set to bring Blip Roasters, Bike Walk KC, medical group to Troost

Wonder what’s in the works at 30th and Troost? This weekend’s Wanderfest provides the opportunity for a sneak peek at a long-awaited development in one of Kansas City’s in-progress revitalization corridors. The Wonder Shops and Flats serves as a key stop during Sunday’s festivities, which showcase maker and creative work in the Tower East neighborhood….

Jason Tatge, Farmobile

Farmobile lawsuit claims dismissed, CEO says ‘Truth won out and justice was served’

A more than two-year legal dispute over trade secrets has hit a milestone, Farmobile announced Friday, as a federal judge dismissed all claims against the Leawood-based farm data firm. “We welcome the court’s decision. Truth won out and justice was served,” said Jason Tatge, CEO of Farmobile. “Farmobile takes great pride in the development of…