Pressed for cash: Ruby Jean’s gifted $10K second shot with new nonprofit’s debut grant
Three months after its founding, one of Kansas City’s newest entrepreneurial support organizations might have just saved Ruby Jean’s Juicery from closing its doors for good. “It’s amazing to see a dream come true and really get it done,” said Christoper Stewart, board president and founding member of Generating Income For Tomorrow (GIFT) — a newly…
Read MoreStill working from home? Don’t get too comfortable, cyber security experts warn
Transitioning to home-based operations proved a valuable step in combating the COVID-19 threat this spring, but it appears to have exposed a remote, internet-reliant workforce to a different kind of virus — the ongoing scourge of cyberattacks. “Cybercriminals have a much larger, more engaged audience right now to target because of the increases in peoples’…
Read MoreTechstars KC doubles down on virtual demo day with 1-minute pitches, Brad Feld panel
Since COVID-19 kept members of Techstars Kansas City’s 2020 cohort from visiting the City of Fountains during the three-month accelerator, an Aug. 27 virtual demo day will be as much a meet-and-greet with the startups as a pitch event for potential investors, said Lesa Mitchell. “Our cohort didn’t ever come to KC. That was horrible…
Read MoreThirsty for growth: Freshly rebranded Smart Beverage doubles team, expects $2M+ revenue boost
If pivots pour progress, Luke Einsel’s glass is full, the entrepreneur said, announcing a rebrand for Thirsty Coconut and new partnerships that could drive revenue through the roof for the frozen and chilled beverage distributor. “We’ve really gone through and got our processes right and we have a repeatable, scalable model that works in Kansas…
Read MoreBack-to-basics innovation: How two former vegetarians revived a 5,000-year-old pig breed in the hills of Platte County
First comes a sudden rustling of leaves, followed by soft grunting and the patter of dozens of unseen hoofed feet hitting the Platte County earth. A stampede of 30 pubescent Meishan piglets darts out of a wooded area at the base of a rolling hill covered in native plants, legumes and organic maize. “They look…
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