Bipartisan support sends Kansas’ angel tax credits to governor’s desk
After months of lobbying Kansas lawmakers, Kansas City area entrepreneurs are celebrating a legislative victory Monday that will extend a popular tax credit program for five more years. While now awaiting Gov. Sam Brownback’s signature, Kansas Senate Bill 149 will extend the life of the Angel Investor Tax Credits program through 2021. The $6 million…
Read MoreMobility Designed to ‘bottle lightning’ from viral video success
The international spotlight is shining bright on Mobility Designed, a Kansas City startup that’s snagged tens-of-millions of viewers interested in their futuristic crutches. Last week, Mobility Designed’s ergonomic crutch was featured in a Tech Insider video that’s now attracted more than 38 million views around the world. That particular video has now been re-edited and…
Read MoreEntrepreneurial lessons from the girls of Malawi, Africa
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. While the Kansas City entrepreneurial community continued to percolate in April, I spent two and a half weeks in the poorest country in Africa. Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa,” and with an average annual income of $255 per…
Read MoreByrd: What we can learn from 5 corporate innovation blunders
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Most corporations don’t want innovation, they just say they do. Corporate leaders talk about radical and disruptive ideas, but is that truly all that innovation is? In it’s purest form, innovation creates more effective processes, products and ideas that will in turn increase…
Read More106-years-young Hallmark is evolving with the collaborative economy
The collaborative economy is everywhere. You may have heard it by another name — like the sharing, on-demand, access, peer, freelance or gig economy. You’ve definitely heard of its national headliners Uber and Airbnb, but it also has a local presence with firms like PopBookings, Farmobile and MachineryLink. Since first showing up on radars eight…
Read More