Latest Stories
Just funded: Four KC groups split $41K in first awards from KCSourceLink initiative
A regional effort launched by KCSourceLink has funded its first cohort of organizations that are tackling gaps in Kansas City’s entrepreneur ecosystem — prioritizing collaborations that remove barriers to business growth for founders typically underrepresented within resource allocations.
Kemper Family backs Endeavor as global entrepreneur network deepens its Heartland ties
A Kansas City banking executive is joining the board of Endeavor Heartland through a collaboration that sees UMB Bank and the Kemper Family Foundation investing in Endeavor’s mission to scale entrepreneur-led innovation and economic growth from within the region.
Capital flows from relationships; this VC wants investors building them, not mining spreadsheets
Unlike the growing wave of AI startups promising to transform investing itself, one Midwest-built software platform launched by an industry insider focuses on a much narrower problem for VCs: organizing the steady stream of quarterly updates, financial metrics, documents and communications that arrive from portfolio companies.
Taking note: After sharing 20,000+ letters, the writing is clear; everyone’s carrying a burden
Kasim Hardaway developed Take What You Need, a public, interactive installation of 40 different letters that he wrote — labeled with phrases like “to the one who doubts their own worth” or “to the one who needs to let go” — inviting passersby to choose the letter that speaks best to them at that moment in their lives.
Your new favorite pizza-and-cocktail spot has two house rules: Be social; don’t kill the vibe
Serial entrepreneur Brian Roberts is back in the building where he began his brick-and-mortar journey, opening an aperitivo and cocktail bar — Social House — just a few yards away from the original Black Pantry retail space in Midtown’s Tower East neighborhood.
Early feedback: KC wants east-west streetcar line to 18th & Vine, transit leaders report
A possible KC Streetcar extension to the 18th & Vine Jazz District is gaining momentum as city leaders and residents work to shape what could become Kansas City’s first high-capacity east-west transit line. Questions about funding remain a leading consideration.
Family behind Jack Stack plans massive facility to get more KC barbecue to the masses
A 72,000-square-foot former Walmart in Harrisonville, Missouri, is expected to transform into a hub of barbecue operations — including custom formulation, research and development, production, and distribution — for the family owners behind one of Kansas City’s best-known brands.
Mi Ranchito founder opens upscale cantina; it’s the first to bear his name, an American Dream come true
Rulber De La Torre spent months remodeling the former Another Broken Egg Cafe space in Prairie Village for an upscale version of his Mi Ranchito Cocina & Cantina Mexicana with a smaller menu and more grilled items.
Vine Street Brewing co-owner taps fresh opportunities with new craft beer industry role
Vine Street Brewing is firmly rooted in Kansas City’s historic jazz district, but the woman behind this vibrant cultural hub also feels at home taking the popular brewery along with her to the national stage. Growing the brand, she said, requires her to hop beyond the counter.
Architecture professor designs 3D-printed concrete shelters to withstand Kanasas tornadoes
As extreme weather intensifies, Reese Greenlee is testing the limits of 3D-printed concrete to create stronger, more accessible storm shelters for vulnerable communities. While the technology and materials have existed for years, they remain an active area for innovation, the K-State professor said.
