Latest Stories
Tangible ‘teleportation’: Shawnee Mission East grad re-envisions how humans communicate over distance
Serving as a caregiver to his late mother during her battle with cancer prepared Akshay Dinakar for the next step in his journey as an entrepreneur, he said. “I learned how to do everything — constantly be on call; be able to suit up faster than a fireman and drive to the hospital at a…
Smart move: Toby Rush-led company shipping its HQ to Edison District in OP, aims to deliver ‘delight’ to workers
Smart Warehousing is on the move — packing up its Edgerton headquarters and relocating to an Overland Park innovation hub. The warehousing and fulfillment solutions company is expected to occupy a portion of the newly-completed Edison District, the company announced this week. “Relocating our headquarters to downtown Overland Park and maintaining our Edgerton operations positions us well…
Mayor announces 500 paid summer internships for at-risk KC youth; employers urged to signup
An effort backed by Kansas City’s mayor and a coalition of nonprofit groups hopes to reduce violence impacting KCMO’s at-risk teens by expanding employment opportunities. The “Working for Youth” formula announced Thursday: 500 paid summer internships to grow the city’s capacity to train, coach and employ young people — specifically focusing on 10 percent of…
After historic church’s collapse, Unruh Furniture builds new showroom in one of the Plaza’s busiest hubs
The demolition of Westminster Congregational Church not only puts an end to its one-of-a-kind architecture, but also the century-long memories that come with the building, said Sam Unruh. “When I first stumbled across the old church, it had been vacant for seven or eight years and was in really bad shape,” recalled the founder of…
First look: Made in KC opens Martini Corner shop with The Black Pantry, limited-run attractions
Made in KC’s new flagship shop on the revitalized Martini Corner in Midtown — a storefront shared with The Black Pantry — is a place of discovery, said Keith Bradley, emphasizing the eclectic blend of Kansas City products alongside home goods, specialty foods, and daily necessities from Black-owned companies. The 1,300-square-foot Made in KC retail space…
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…
