Latest Stories
Former Starbucks CEO, C2FO’s Sandy Kemper join Morgan Stanley exec for ‘Nothing to Fear’ DEI conversation
Top business leaders are now embracing diversity and inclusion, Carla Harris said, but even their most sincere initiatives must survive the fear that comes with changing trends and an inevitable economic downturn. “Fear has no place in your success equation,” said Harris, a 33-year Wall Street veteran and Morgan Stanley executive who headlines Thursday’s Innovation…
Just funded: Meet the six young startups joining Digital Sandbox KC’s summer slate
A round of funding from Digital Sandbox KC comes at a critical time for Bryght Labs — and five other early stage companies — as the AI-enabled gaming startup advances hardware development for its wildly popular, high-tech chess board, said Elliot Wilder. “Hardware is hard enough — but 2021 has added some unique challenges,” said Wilder,…
They met in Ecuador, relocated to KC; now one couple is wrapping the culture gap with native blankets
Editor’s note: The following story — a spotlight on a member of the Plexpod community — is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. A Kansas City company’s mission to connect U.S. consumers to native blankets ethically produced by artisans in Ecuador is…
Survival took more than just PPP — but federal relief proved pivotal, small biz owners tell Davids
Sharice Davids strolled through downtown Overland Park Friday afternoon — with an ice cream cone in hand — stopping to meet with local small business owners to hear their pandemic survival stories and how federal relief programs played a role. “Today has been really fun; to see just how innovative … the problem-solving modes that…
Talent off the charts: Bardavon recruits another former Cerner exec to build team equipped for rapid expansion
To keep growing in the workers’ compensation industry — as well as expand into commercial healthcare and beyond — Bardavon Health Innovations needs an even stronger team at the top, said Matt Condon. “I think Bardavon is going to be a bigger, more important company than we first anticipated,” Condon, founder and CEO of Bardavon,…
Olathe biotech startup represents Kansas in MassChallenge’s 50th accelerator program
More than 3,000 startups across the world applied to the 2021 MassChallenge accelerator program with Olathe-based biotechnology lab Ronawk earning one of the 229 slots to participate, shared A.J. Mellott. “[MassChallenge] has a really good reputation for accelerating companies that are in the startup mode and growing,” said Mellott, who co-founded Ronawk in 2019 with…
$4M investment powers Daupler hiring, expansion as startup scales into new verticals
A newly announced funding round for Daupler positions one of Kansas City’s top startups as “well-resourced and hiring like crazy” amid expansion plans and rapid entry into new markets, said CEO John Bertrand. The $4 million investment — led by San Francisco-based Burnt Island Ventures with participation from Revolution Fund, Runway Venture Partners, Knoll Ventures, and…
$250K in matching funds brings Prospect Urban Eatery free culinary training closer to boil
Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News, though this story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. A quarter-million-dollar grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expected to push The Prospect KC into operational scale in the months ahead, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant. News of the…
MindSport gains traction from Olympic-level athletes as founder turns his memoir into documentary
The world of athletics has become more in tune with the importance of mental fitness, mindfulness and the impact both have on athletic performance, said Ryan Stock. “With the pandemic, obviously that shut down athletics across the board. It added a ton of stress, anxiety [and] frustration for athletes of all levels. Athletics serves as…
