Latest Stories
No ratings, no negative reviews: Restaurant app guides diners through crowd-sourced trust
Popular restaurant review sites — clouded by negative reviews and manipulated ratings — have often led Leo Esposito astray, he shared. To revolutionize the way people discover their next favorite place to eat, Esposito launched the social app Bōzt. “Our vision is to be the most trusted platform for sourcing restaurant recommendations,” said Esposito, who founded…
Meet three tech startup founders pitching in KC’s women-led ‘Dolphin Tank’ event
A pitch event is set to return to Kansas City with a trio of female founders spotlighted for a panel of “dolphins.” “Springboard’s Dolphin Tank brings the power of our collective community to women entrepreneurs innovating in enterprise tech,” said Natalie Buford-Young, CEO of Springboard Enterprises. “Our Dolphin Tank events showcase exciting women-led companies and…
Founders earn innovation, Business Hall of Fame honors from Junior Achievement
Carlos Antequera’s business roots run deep, he told a crowd gathered for his induction into Junior Achievement’s Business Hall of Fame, noting inspiration and impact from his time assisting his grandmother in her convenience store in Bolivia to current-day collaborators in Kansas City. “I’ve been very fortunate in my entrepreneurial journey to have been surrounded…
Missouri cannabis company grows into flower, buying massive Kansas City grow facility
A Springfield-based cannabis company is acquiring a massive growing and manufacturing facility in Kansas City, positioning Show-Me Organics as a vertical player in the budding Missouri marijuana market. The deal to purchase the local 80,000-square-foot cannabis operation from Holistic Industries — one of the nation’s largest, private multi-state operators in the cannabis industry — is…
THC-infused lemonade squeezes into market as ballot push unbottles potential for 2M Missouri cannabis customers
Blending the classic and comforting flavor of lemonade with the benefits of marijuana is like mixing oil and water, said Michael Wilson. But Franklin’s Stash House persisted, spending the time and money to perfect the process behind its THC-infused lemonade, he said. “Our water soluble formula has been our biggest investment — and really the…
‘This is our era’: How one local streetwear brand got the ball rolling for an exclusive KC Comets collab
Soccer fans can kick off their weekend with a one-day-only sale of a limited-edition apparel collaboration between Kansas City’s premier indoor soccer team and its top streetwear brand, said Vu Radley. “We found this really cool, creative space with the KC Comets where we could pay homage to their vintage jerseys and mix it with…
Not all shops will be riding high if Missouri legalizes recreational cannabis, but even imperfect expansion ‘far worth the effort,’ advocates say
Legalizing recreational marijuana would have potent outcomes across the state if Missouri voters approve a constitutional amendment Nov. 8, but some cannabis advocates and small business owners say not all strains of success will be equal. On one hand, Missouri’s Amendment 3 would expunge the criminal records of people with past non-violent marijuana charges and…
Tesseract deepens military ties with deal to develop smart space hub for US Air Force
Tesseract Ventures’ research and development partnership with the U.S. Air Force is reaching new altitudes with a just-announced contract to develop 21st century smart space technologies for MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. “The Air Force has always been a center of innovation and a launch pad for world-changing new technologies,” said John Boucard,…
Fund Me, KC: She’s served a community need; now LaRonda LaNear needs help filling her kitchen
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like LaRonda LaNear’s effort to launch a brick and mortar space for We Got It Covered Food Services — to…
