Latest Stories
Disrupting the work-home loop: Serendipity Labs brings luxe concierge coworking to Overland Park
One of the metro’s newest coworking spaces prides itself on hospitality — but happy hour comes as a bonus. “When people order DoorDash or GrubHub — we’re bringing that to your office with extra plates and napkins. ‘What kind of soda do you want? What kind of snacks do you want?’” said Dawniel Richards, general manager of…
New accelerator aims to capitalize on pet health, agtech hub with international cohort
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. TOPEKA…
No-shame salon: How a dog grooming business helped its owner overcome life’s bites
Dogs don’t judge, said Amanda McIntyre as she sat in the grooming shop she built from scratch with a thrifty $5,000 and the experience of a life-changing business program. “I’ve been judged my whole life,” shared McIntyre, who founded Classy Canines after overcoming a turbulent battle with addiction. “But, when it comes to dogs, they…
Pulmonaer Analytics joins Spencer Fane Startup Lab to advance digital asthma solution
A leading Kansas City health tech startup is the latest company to join Spencer Fane’s three-month startup lab aimed at addressing the young venture’s legal needs as it develops a digital platform and app to improve asthma outcomes. “I deal with adult asthma every day of my life,” said Sunti Wathanacharoen, founder of Pulmonaer Analytics….
Zaarly to cease operations Friday ‘after 10 years of grinding’ as a top KC startup
Leaders at a Prairie Village tech startup announced Monday their decade-long mission to fix a broken piece of the economy would come to a close later this week. Zaarly — an online marketplace to hire accountable home service providers — is expected to cease operations Friday, according to a message from Bo Fishback, co-founder and…
Meet the charcuterie board of dairy, agtech startups joining the latest DFA accelerator
A returning, Kansas City-based accelerator program focused on innovative dairy products and emerging agtech will be a living, breathing lab for seven newly selected companies, said Doug Dresslaer. Facial recognition software for cows, nanotechnologies to help treat mastitis and a single-serve, snack-sized cheese bar are among the startups now convening virtually as part of the…
Holograms, nextgen streaming and immersive edtech: Meet T-Mobile’s new accelerator class, the future of 5G
Innovation around 5G technologies continues at the forefront of the T-Mobile Accelerator, as the longtime Kansas City-based program kicks off its three-month 2021 virtual cohort with an international cast of diverse companies. The eight handpicked startups are expected work directly with technologists and business leaders at T-Mobile to build a new wave of 5G tech…
Civic Saint: How life-threatening setbacks inspired company built on universal humanity, survival
Loss is stitched throughout much of Godfrey Riddle’s human story, he said. But its threads don’t define him — and they won’t unravel his mission to bring opportunity to Kansas Citians of every shade, size, and sexuality. “Being a Black, gay man … I’ve lived through countless experiences of marginalization,” Riddle said, looking back on his…
KC Daiquiri Shop: Bistreaux bringing a second line of family-focused Cajun flair to Overland Park
When a second KC Daiquiri Shop goes marching into the Overland Park faubourg (suburb) later this month, family and flavor will round out the goals of its expansion — a passion project of its owners who are committed to meeting a rising local demand for authentic Cajun cuisine, they said. “When we first started with…
The secret to KC Black Owned’s success so far? Businesses worth finding, founder says
A business’s digital footprint is the new word of mouth, the founder of KC Black Owned said, emphasizing that getting noticed is just half the fight for many Black-owned businesses. “It is so hard to find Black-owned businesses in certain professions and industries. But there’s a demand for it,” said Chelsey M., the mind behind…
