Wichita founder flexes Startup World Cup win as his company swells into fitness industry
Another Kansan is headed to San Francisco this fall for the Startup World Cup Grand Finale after winning Wichita’s regional pitch competition earlier this month. And founder Miguel Johns is wasting no time adding reps to his startup through an AI partnership with a Wichita gym.
Read MoreAthena Award winners: Be more than the star player; add women to the roster, spotlight
The 2026 honors recognized two high-profile women: Angie Long, founder of Palmer Square Capital Management and co-founder and owner of the Kansas City Current (recipient the 2026 ATHENA Leadership Award); and Elaina Paige, CEO and founder of The Next Paige Talent Agency (winner of the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award).
Read MoreConstruction pushes Goodwill’s $4M adult high school ‘from shared dream to physical reality’
A construction kickoff Wednesday at Park 39 marked an early step in Excel Center’s invitation to broader opportunities for adult high school students, said Robyn Wiens, noting the standalone space at the site of the former Westport High School could soon bring 350 students back to campus. “Our students aren’t just earning a diploma,” said…
Read MoreNetwork Kansas exec passing CEO torch to decades-long collaborator who co-built the entrepreneur resource community
With the duo starting their jobs at Network Kansas just two weeks apart, Erik Pedersen feels like a co-founder, said Steve Radley. Now, 21 years later, the organization’s first employee is preparing to depart, leaving his longtime friend and colleague to step into the top role.
Read MoreI was wrong about sports: Why KC’s ‘escape velocity’ keeps pointing back to 18th and Vine
Sports, music, and barbecue are not three separate Kansas City brands, writes urbanist and entrepreneur Kemet Coleman. “They are one story, and it starts at 18th and Vine,” the Vine Street Brewing co-founder explained.
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