Latest Stories
Right fit, refined: Carlanda McKinney’s third venture in apparel measures up to its digital design
Online shopping is a staple for Carlanda McKinney, she noted, but the inaccuracy and variety of size guides leave both shoppers and retailers with major pain points. “On the shopper side, it is frustrating to order multiple sizes and not have anything fit your body the right way. … On the seller side, retailers are…
OpenCities sells: Denver govtech company acquires Australian startup with Kansas City HQ
An Australia-based govtech startup with a sizable Kansas City operation has sold. OpenCities — a hub-like platform that digitizes city forms and requests — was acquired by Denver-based Granicus, the companies announced Thursday, solidifying a deal that’s expected to better define what the future of civic engagement might looks like. Financial terms of the acquisition were not…
60 percent of Black residents on KC’s east side are renters: How one small biz hopes to reverse redlining’s hit to homeownership
An investment in The Greenline Initiative is, on its face, an investment in the future of Kansas City’s historic and re-emerging east side, said Ajia Morris. But there’s more to the effort than meets the eye, the effort’s co-founder explained, detailing ways she and her husband, Christopher, hope to uplift the metro’s Black community; a…
C2FO donates all marketplace revenue it earned Friday to three KC nonprofits for Juneteenth
Editor’s note: C2FO is a financial supporter of Startland News; and Kansas City G.I.F.T. is a non-financial partner of Startland, the parent organization of Startland News. This story was produced independently by Startland News’ non-profit newsroom. One of Kansas City’s biggest tech startups wanted to make Juneteenth a day of “action and awareness,” the company…
Styling into women’s fashion, ULAH sees its next season in brand extensions, not duplicating stores
When ULAH opens its first women’s store concept this fall, it’s expected to be just the first retail extension of the popular upscale men’s boutique — and a sign the brand is fine-tuning its niche after a major e-commerce shift. “We already have a huge customer base — and a lot of them are women,…
Two years after top KC startup’s sale, Zego (and its new owner) acquired for nearly $1B
The company that acquired Kansas City-based Zego in 2019 — and liked the real estate tech startup’s brand so much it changed its own identity to match — has itself now been purchased by a global “powerhouse” in an all-cash transaction valued at $925 million. Zego — formerly PayLease — announced the acquisition by Global…
Women bore the brunt of pandemic; now it’s time to reinvest in their businesses, Rep. Davids says
A strong recovery from the COVID-19 crisis — which destroyed the businesses of many women, and particularly women of color — requires a deliberate investment in initiatives that drive and support female entrepreneurship, said Sharice Davids. “It’s not enough to recreate the pre-pandemic economy for female workers and business owners,” U.S. Rep. Davids, D-Kansas, said…
T-Mobile Accelerator preps for June 30 demo day; nearly ready to launch new fall cohort
As the Kansas City-based T-Mobile Accelerator readies for its June 30 demo day of immersive technology, the deadline is nearing on applications for a second accelerator program — set to debut this fall with a specific focus on wellness tech. “T-Mobile Accelerator is actively searching for startups developing the next big thing in 5G technologies…
Meet 13 small businesses leading the way on DEI as Chamber’s Equity Award finalists
Some of Kansas City’s youngest companies and startups are among the most committed to achieving DEI goals in the workforce, the Chamber said this week, releasing finalists for its 2021 Small Business Equity Award. The contenders: 13 leading businesses — ranging from lifestyle brands and tech startups to a Kansas City talent agency and an addiction…
Girls in ‘tough-boy’ jobs: Young welders torch outdated beads on what’s possible
Vanessa Bello and Adriana Figueroa feel a rush of adrenaline as they gear up in their welding uniforms and watch their blueprints come to life — it’s a feeling everyone deserves to experience, regardless of gender, they shared. “It’s all dark but you see this little light while welding; then when you take off your…
