ESHIP Summit: Data shows urgent question — Who isn’t starting a business?

Andy Stoll, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, 2020 ESHIP Summit

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial sponsor of Startland News. This report was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. Inclusion is about fulfilling untapped potential, said Sameeksha Desai, detailing nationwide equity gaps in entrepreneurial ecosystem building. “A lot of the reason that we ended up in this situation is because…

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KC performer appointed UN Young Leader, extending Battery Tour’s energy worldwide, says AY Young

Singer-songwriter-street performer AY Young has a new stage for his unique message, announcing Friday the Kansas City artist’s appointment as one of the United Nations’ 17 Young Leaders for Sustainable Development Goals. “I’ll be honest, I was like, ‘It’s about time,’” Young said, laughing. “I’ve powered over 800 concerts using renewable energy; I’ve been getting…

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Winning pitch: Leading KC fintech founder deposits trio of new bank partnerships 

Donald Hawkins, KC Collective; STARTLAND's Innovation Exchange

One of Kansas City’s prominent fintech and nonprofit leaders has secured partnerships with three of the regions leading banks.  Donald Hawkins, founder and CEO of Griffin Technologies and a co-leader in KC Collective, was awarded pilot projects with Emprise Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Intrust Bank, Thursday — part of the Wichita-based NXSTAGE Pilot Competition, hosted…

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Beating the boys club: Mother of three hits the mat with girls wrestling shoes

Anything guys can do, girls and women just might be doing better, Deb North said.  “Our whole goal is to support girls in this process and build them up and be their cheerleaders,” North, founder of Yes! Athletics, explained of the social enterprise — which recently launched The Defiant 1 wrestling shoe, a breathable, lightweight, eco-friendly shoe…

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