Latest Stories
After KCPS pilot, $2.2B Sprint project plans to close the U.S. homework gap
More than 20 million U.S. households do not have an internet connection, according to the PEW Research Center. Pairing that with the fact that schoolwork is more frequently requiring internet access, millions of students around the nation are severely limited in their learning. In Kansas City, the story is no different — hundreds of households remain…
Profit and purpose: Innovators share 5 social entrepreneurship lessons
It’s been said that the best things in life are free. But what social entrepreneurs know well, is that it’s not that simple — nearly everything in life comes at a cost, including the positive impact they’re trying to make. And at Thursday’s Conquer for Good conference, a variety of innovators shared how they’re working…
KC tech innovators deliver mindset and personal development advice
For many, starting a business may sound like the dream — being your own boss, making your own rules and devising your own schedule. But the reality is that the entrepreneurial life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Like most good things in life, it comes with risk and challenges. And on Wednesday a panel of…
Darcy Howe’s hustle grows, guides KCRise Fund in first year
Kansas City may not realize its good fortune with the tenacious manager of a relatively new fund that’s investing in early-stage firms. Self-described as a builder that’s competitive and impatient, Darcy Howe is weaving her years of determined leadership into the KCRise Fund, which just wrapped up its first year with $14 million in the…
Deadlines approach for BetaBlox, EY awards; LaunchKC opening soon
Kansas City abounds with growth opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs — sometimes the trick is just finding them. To that end, here are a variety of opportunities for founders and supporters of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem whose deadlines are approaching. Thanks to our friends at KCSourceLink for aggregating these opportunities! BetaBlox Deadline: March 1 Kansas City-based accelerator…
Melissa Roberts: How an Olathe hate crime affects your tech business
Editor’s note: The opinions in this commentary are the author’s alone. In the startup world, outside the Facebook echo chamber, it can be hard to see how political trends impact your business. I understand why. When you’re struggling to weed through the constant churn of working the problem, identifying a new problem and working that…
Events Preview: Conquer for Good, TEDxUMKC
There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Are you hosting a relevant community event? Feel free to add it to the FWD/KC calendar for increased exposure. Once your event…
Jaguar Land Rover invests in artificial intelligence startup Mycroft
Mycroft has received a significant boost in horsepower. Only a few weeks after entering 500 Startups, Mycroft has landed a strategic partnership with Jaguar Land Rover. The Kansas City-based artificial intelligence startup is among the first startups to enter the Portland-based Jaguar Land Rover Tech Incubator, which will provide Mycroft with a $110,000 investment and…
KC-based OYO Fitness closes a historically successful Kickstarter
To say that OYO Fitness has a successful Kickstarter campaign would be an understatement. The Kansas City-based fitness firm folded up and then crushed its recent crowdfunding effort, which raised a stunning $659,000 for its collapsible and compact exercise device. OYO’s DoubleFlex Black campaign — which snagged pre-orders from 4,200 backers — was the second…
Survivor, innovator Kim Gandy rewards patients for sticking to treatments
In her 20 years working as a transplantation clinician, Kim Gandy found it baffling that a seemingly simple problem had such a difficult time finding a solution. Transplant patients consistently struggled to adhere to their health regimens, resulting not only in significant costs for care providers but also death. “We were literally losing patients,” Gandy…
