Latest Stories
Olathe company opens mini windows to the world; How Travel Stamps’ 2D souvenirs illustrate adventure
Stamp collecting has always been cool, said Erika Ring, whose niche family business connects travelers to a network of souvenir stickers for more than 1,500 bucket-list destinations across the U.S. Olathe-based Travel Stamps has printed and shipped its commemorative keepsakes from the Heartland since relocating from Moab, Utah, in 2021. The company designs as many…
Grants competition returning with $55K for each winner; LaunchKC Liftoff applications open Aug. 14
LaunchKC leaders’ hopes and expectations for the popular competition’s grant-winning entrepreneurs go far beyond their final pitches, said Jim Erickson. “We want all of them to grow and prosper. We want, in 20 to 30 years, for us to be able to drive downtown and see skyscrapers with LaunchKC companies’ names on it, having driven…
Report: AI could displace 110,000 Kansas City jobs; here’s who might be most at risk
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. In 2020, when Terrence Wise learned the McDonald’s where he worked would be…
PHKC earns more state funding for 811 Retail Incubator; MTC boosting small biz
Another round of financial support from the Missouri Technology Corporation proves state economic development leaders understand that innovation also runs along main street, said Dan Smith. The Porter House KC — which just opened its 811 Retail Incubator in late July — is among seven entities just awarded a total of $1.8 million in Physical Infrastructure…
MTC just awarded $2.6M in investments; three KC tech startups earn state backing
As Advoteck works to bring its app to market later this year, an equity investment from the Missouri Technology Corporation is expected to help the Kansas City-based startup expand its reach nationwide in the fight against cyber crime. MTC on Tuesday announced $2.6 million in investments across seven Missouri companies — primarily focused on fostering…
KC Chamber, businesses: We won’t back down from DEI initiatives; city’s top diversity advocates honored
LeAna Flores knows those three little letters — DEI — can trigger a lot of people these days, she said. “For me, as a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) practitioner, I live and breathe by this quote — especially in the climate that we have right now — ‘They tried to bury us, but they…
‘We are each other’s bootstraps’: Pay-It-Forward cafe says pressure to serve neighbors is back
The reopening of Thelma’s Kitchen — a pay-it-forward restaurant on Troost Avenue — not only flips the menu on the “soup kitchen” concept, but serves as an anchor of compassionate, community-focused care in the face of neighborhood gentrification, said Father Justin Mathews. “We view what we’re doing here as kind of like urban acupressure,” said…
KC-infused Rally Gin pours capital investment into plans for expanding the brand south
A liquor brand distilled from the vision of three Kansas City natives is expanding to Texas after landing national exposure and a key investment meant to elevate minority-owned spirit and beverage companies. Tim McCoy, co-founder of Rally Gin, shared his excitement and the impact of capital investment firm Pronghorn’s backing. “Pronghorn is just awesome. Their…
Union Station tapped for GEWKC base camp; training for treps arrives Nov. 19-21 in KC
When GEWKC pulls into Kansas City this fall, the metro’s largest educational entrepreneurship event will be stationed within one of the community’s crown jewels — a link to the past that points to a brighter future for the regions’ innovators, said Chante Keller. KCSourceLink on Thursday formally announced Union Station as the 2024 base camp…
NXTSTAGE announces trio of KC ventures tapped for latest Enterprise Engagement cohort
A record number of Kansas entrepreneurs joining the NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series means the program’s latest cohort will scale up its impact, said Amber Dunn. “It’s exciting to witness the relationships formed and the knowledge gained among cohort members and our enterprise partners, both new and returning,” said Dunn, program manager at Wichita-based NXTUS, which…
