Latest Stories
‘Queer Eye’ hero paints an ‘inner circle’ for young Latino artists craving a creative outlet
Deanna Munoz’s childhood dream to become an artist — once faded and long forgotten — was revived years later by her 6-year-old daughter, said Munoz, founder of the Latino Arts Foundation. “I wanted to be a graphic designer, but I kind of got caught up in a lot of different things when I was young…
Two Missouri biology students just wanted an ‘A’ — ultimately they devised a treatment for Crohn’s Disease
Launching a biotech company based on a class project took the quest for an ‘A’ to a whole new level for two Missouri University of Science and Technology students — founders of Bionic Bowell. Prompted by professors to find a use for a special ion-interacting glass compound, Vanessa Mahan and Catherine Pollman devised an ingestible…
Bringing high-speed travel ‘to the people’: Hyperloop One sets Kansas City arrival date
Long Awaited, Virgin Hyperloop One will finally cruise into Kansas City … just not permanently — at least not yet, the company announced Tuesday. “When government and investor delegations come to our test site, seeing the technology makes it real for them,” Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One, said in a release. “Not everyone can…
Inclusion Open funding helps Determination Incorporated reunite KCSourceLink alums
Within days of securing funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Inclusion Open, Determination Incorporated is expanding its team, the nonprofit announced Wednesday. “We are so thankful to the Kauffman Foundation and excited to announce that Leslie Walton, an experienced entrepreneurial ecosystem builder in KC, is joining the team in support of our mission,” Johnny…
Earn-out exit: Beware a startup sale price hinging on future performance, attorney cautions
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Todd McGuire is a partner at Stueve Siegel Hanson law firm in Kansas City. He focuses on cases involving business torts, contract disputes, employment matters and other civil claims. As an entrepreneur, you likely envision one day moving beyond your current business. But…
KCultivator Q&A: Karen Fenaroli orchestrates investment game from behind home plate
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Long hours, frequent travel and tough decisions can mold who you are…
Kauffman Inclusion Open: Six KC grant winners ‘building an inclusive pathway to entrepreneurship’
Plans to educate, inspire, and assist entrepreneurs traditionally left out of small business conversations will ramp up for the Porter House KC — thanks to new support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s inaugural Inclusion Open. “We are so excited to be selected as one of this year’s grant recipients,” said Dan Smith, co-founder of the…
Catch the PokéBar: Pokémon-themed pop-up bar and burgers experience coming to KC
A newly crafted, immersive pop-up experience is set to present fans of Pokémon with the ultimate challenge — making its way to Kansas City in 2020. Launched in September in Los Angeles, PokéBar is set to evolve in the metro Feb. 8-9, offering fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove whether they really can “catch em’…
Natural fit: Ruby Jean’s opening new juicery inside busy Whole Foods
The fresh-pressed, multi-year deal to open a brick-and-mortar Ruby Jean’s Juicery inside a high-traffic Whole Foods location puts Chris Goode in a position to scale his clean concept even further beyond Kansas City, he said. “We’re in the healthy food space and Whole Foods has cornered that market pretty broadly. With its parent company now…
Major Kansas City grocery chains stock SERV Nutrition less than a year into business
Doing good is more than just a motto for SERV Nutrition — it’s the state of the startup’s operation seven months into business, Isaac Collins said as the company’s patented protein pods hit shelves at Price Chopper and Hen House stores across the metro. “Online sales have been going well, but we saw a great…
