Latest Stories
Movista exit: Mid-America Angels portfolio firm scores $12M growth equity investment
A $12 million Series A growth equity investment in Movista is a significant win for Mid-America Angels, as well as for the region, said Laura McCoolidge. The Arkansas-based startup — which uses a mobile-first, real-time platform to power labor and workforce management software for retailers, manufacturers, and service providers — is among the leading portfolio…
Startup Crawl returning Oct 5 for First Friday with festival-style entertainment, innovation
Editor’s note: Startup Crawl and Startland News are both programs of the Kansas City Startup Foundation, though the content below was produced independently by Startland. Startup Crawl has a carnival feel to it, said Lauren Conaway, noting the returning event is positioned to help startups collide with people who wouldn’t typically encounter the early-stage businesses….
MECA students to Goodwill: Everyone has a mission now — what else are you selling?
Editor’s note: MECA Challenge and Startland News are both programs of the Kansas City Startup Foundation, though the content below was produced independently by Startland. For more information on the relationship, click here. Goodwill must innovate and change with the times if it’s going to survive after 125 years in business, said Ed Lada. “The…
Prestio drives users to auto dealerships without traditional car buying pain points
Gone are the days of traditional car buying for Ben Anderson, the first customer of Kansas City-based startup Prestio. Anderson, an accounting professional at CBIZ, had grown deeply frustrated by auto dealerships, he said. In fall 2017, he turned to Prestio –– a first-of-its-kind software-as-a-service platform that allows customers to buy, trade, and finance vehicle purchases…
Crema co-founder details expansion experiment at Thinking Bigger breakfast
Crema’s work is all about proximity, said George Brooks, seeking to clarify potential misperceptions about the digital product agency’s foray into markets outside Kansas City. “We’ve been running an experiment,” the Crema co-founder told a crowd at Thinking Bigger Business Media’s recent Big Breakfast. “We’re from Kansas City, but probably 80 percent of our clients…
Techweek 100 list released: Dozens of KC’s top cultivators, ambassadors and innovators
Techweek Kansas City on Friday released its Techweek 100 list of the premier leaders pushing innovation in Kansas City. The collection of cultivators, ambassadors and innovators is a who’s who of familiar names across the startup, entrepreneurship and tech communities. Released in the runup to Techweek KC’s Oct. 8-12 festivities, the list isn’t a ranking,…
Self-driving cars deliver unexpected challenges, says Burns & McDonnell strategist
City streets filled with safer, automated or self-driving vehicles would come with an unexpected price tag: fewer organ donations because of reduced traffic fatalities, said Julie Lorenz, discussing the promise and paradox of evolving transportation technology. “If you look back in history, it can help you think about the future,” said Lorenz, strategic consultant for…
Not high-growth or a tech startup? AltCap Your Biz $10K prize could be the boost you need
A $10,000 prize can mean a world of difference for the right entrepreneurial dream, said Davin Gordon. “There’s not a ton of opportunities for small businesses to not only pitch their business and go through that process, but actually have an opportunity to win some money,” he said. Entering its fourth year on the startup…
River Watch Beef envisions pure range of ‘farm-to-fork’ products delivered to your door
The beef industry is broken, said Chris Kovac, sitting just an ironic stone’s throw away from the historic Kansas City Stockyards. “We should all educate ourselves on what we’re eating and who we’re buying our food from,” the founder of River Watch Beef said, impassioned as he shared his concern for the health of consumers….
‘Follow the Leader’: Brothers bootstrapping horror movie set in abandoned KC-area mall
Not enough films are being shot in Kansas City, said brothers Ben and Jacob Burghart. “The bigger problem is not enough feature films are utilizing Kansas City’s vast talent pool,” said Jacob. “[Kansas City is trying to] shoot more now, but we want to be a part of kind of kicking into another gear.”…
