Latest Stories
KC-area startup nets $20K Kansas pitch tournament win with game-changing edtech
WICHITA — The team at VU Scholarships left it all on the stage Friday, walking away as champions in the Gamechangers & Champions bracket bash — a high-intensity pitch competition running parallel to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Wichita. By outlasting 31 other Sunflower State companies, the Roeland Park-based edtech startup earned $20,000 in…
Six months after acquiring KC startup, BarGlance expands its AI-powered nightlife app across US
Launching its latest innovation — BarGlance AI — in nightlife hotspots like Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, and Kansas City is only part of the story for a South Carolina-based company that recently augmented its tech by integrating features from a Kansas City startup it acquired. By providing real-time data on venue popularity, crowd levels, and…
Cosmo Burger expanding to standalone Crossroads spot, smashing into brand’s longtime brick-and-mortar dream
Cosmo Burger’s days as a side dish only will soon be over, the rapidly iconic smashburger’s creator said this week, announcing plans for a new restaurant in the East Crossroads where its signature menu item finally becomes the main course. Owners of the burger stand-within-a bar concept confirmed the new location will open at 1813…
‘It’s time to be brave’: This entrepreneur has a plan if she’s deported (and a spiritual mission if she stays)
She’s a mother, an entrepreneur and a healer — but for some, Alex Villalobos-McAnderson is just what’s on paper, the Kansas business owner said Alex Villalobos-McAnderson — like many immigrants within the borders of the United States — is living life in limbo, she shared. But the Shawnee-based energy medicine practitioner and owner of Villalobos…
Kauffman adds comms leader to boost transparency, clarity as Foundation moves into new era of engagement
During a time of change and transition, a clear voice is more critical than ever, leaders of the Kauffman Foundation said Thursday, announcing Amy Unruh as the influential philanthropic organization’s new communications director. “We’re in a really exciting chapter for the Foundation,” said Dr. Susan Klusmeier, chief of staff for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation….
Shawnee’s new chef-driven sports bar serves retro with a side of Spam fries and banana ketchup
Serial Kansas City hotspot founder opens door to Hank’s Garage with chefs Howard Hanna, Zac Sachs Eric Flanagan’s latest venture turns a former Shawnee auto shop into the resurrected downtown entertainment district’s newest destination — a casual neighborhood sports bar, complete with an innovative and elevated menu, classic beers, craft cocktails, and an outdoor patio…
Meet KC’s cowpunk basement guitar hero: This DIY dreamer is demanding more from himself
Kansas City’s DIY music scene has long been a hub for raw, creative talent — with eclectic frontman Kole Waters quickly becoming one of its standout names. As the lead guitarist and co-vocalist for post-country phenomenon Big Fat Cow and the centerpiece of synth-infused Dreamist, Waters blends influences ranging from folk storytelling to cathartic soundscapes….
Build to barrel: Inside Holladay Distillery’s ironclad plan to boost bourbon production by one-third
WESTON, Missouri — Holladay Distillery is breaking ground with Rickhouse D — its first new barrel-aging warehouse in 75 years — marking a major step in expanding bourbon production from the historic plant. Renowned as the only Missouri operation to age bourbon in ironclad rickhouses, Weston-based Holladay Distillery is increasing capacity to meet surging demand,…
