Latest Stories
SafetyCulture names new CEO as founder moves into new strategic executive role
A global tech company with its U.S. headquarters in Kansas City is transitioning to American leadership. Kelly Vohs, a New York-based executive and former Green Beret in the U.S. Special Forces, is set to become CEO of the Australian company SafetyCulture Jan. 1 Founder Luke Anear, who long served as the rapidly scaling business’ CEO…
GEWKC adds full day of Spanish programming to serve growing community of entrepreneurs
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. Para leer una versión de esta historia en español, haga clic aquí. When Ana…
Executing a valuation cap SAFE: Why you should think about the employee equity pool
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Earlier this year, I wrote about SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), focusing on the importance of the defined term “Company Capitalization.”…
Young mom’s apparel for crawling babies wins best fit for UMKC Side Hustle Challenge
Riley Rhoads knows firsthand how overwhelming it is to shop for baby clothes, the University of Missouri-Kansas City student and new mother shared, so she created a product to help fellow moms. Hold Tight Baby — Rhoads’ venture that earned her first place at UMKC’s Side Hustle Challenge — makes pants for crawling babies. The…
KC-crowned ‘King and Queen of BBQ’ return to the throne with new Prospect restaurant
Gary Paul and Patricia Moore have long been dubbed the “King and Queen of BBQ” by their loyal followers, they said. After several relocations for their P Moore & Moore BBQ brand over the past few years, the duo has landed a new kingdom at 5932 Prospect Ave. And they’ve now fully embraced their nicknames…
Investor market turns Midwest conservative: ‘Everyone here is feeling a changing landscape’
After years of soaring valuations across the startup scene, venture firms like M25 are observing a shift to more risk-averse investors and stricter examinations of even the most-exciting company’s worth, said Abhinaya Konduru. “We’re seeing a new normal,” said Konduru, a principal on the influential Chicago-based M25 team and a panelist at Thursday’s MidxMidwest event…
Power & Light: $10M in Live! Block upgrades planned before downtown’s Big 12 ‘opening day’
The Kansas City Live! Block in the Power & Light District — a place KCMO Councilman Crispen Rea calls the living room of Kansas City — is set for a $10 million upgrade, local business and civic leaders announced Thursday. Key updates also target the popular District nightclub Mosaic. “It’s become an engine that generates…
Google makes new $120K pledge to KC schools; region embraces a future built on flexibility
In an era of artificial intelligence and high-tech solutions, the children of Kansas City remain a vital piece of the region’s future economic sustainability, said Utaukwa Allen, announcing a new financial pledge from Google that targets local students. Kansas City Public Schools have been selected for a $120,000 partnership with Google to strengthen KCPS’ STEM…
LaunchKC invested in this founder’s vision; now she’s helping the grants competition boost KC’s startup scene
Editor’s note: LaunchKC — a longstanding initiative from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the Downtown Council — annual funds six to seven companies through its popular fall grants competition. Winning members of the 2025 LaunchKC cohort are set to be announced at a LaunchKC Liftoff event Nov. 19 at J. Rieger &…
It’s OK to open with joy: How two moms’ dreams just launched twin shops on Brookside-Waldo border
Two women, longtime friends, have similar entrepreneur origin stories. Now they have side-by-side shops in a bustling neighborhood shopping district. The twin storefronts — Bramble & Stem led by Katherine (Brambl) Taylor; and Blue Sky Art + Home from hometown artist Leslie Beck — come as the mothers-turned-business owners pivot from freelancing to full-time entrepreneurship….
