Latest Stories
Hack Midwest offers coders freedom through 24-hour app creation competition
Technologists are often surprised by what they’re able to accomplish when they work together in a competitive format, Mike Gelphman said. That’s part of the reason Hack Midwest is returning this summer with the objective to inspire more techies to embrace their imagination, said Gelphman, founder of the competition, as well as KCITP, an area…
KCultivator Q&A: John Coler champions making a quick impact, packs of dolphins
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Today Startland takes a closer look at startup ecosystem champion John Coler. Check out our features on Made in KC’s Tyler Enders, Hispanic business builder Pedro Zamora, ‘fashionpreneur’ Jordan Williams, Plexpod founder Gerald Smith, innovation coach Diana…
Backed by $4M round, Hilary’s Eat Well expanding organic food line, hiring 10-15 workers
Hilary’s Eat Well is growing its plant-based food line, company leaders said. The move to diversify the company’s offerings — as well as to more efficiently produce larger quantities of its free-from (dairy- and gluten-free) products — comes as the Lawrence-based operation moves its storage to an off-site facility, freeing up manufacturing space, said Lydia…
City challenges startup leaders to swap social media for in-person dialogue on regulation
Editor’s note: Rick Usher is a member of the Kansas City Startup Foundation’s policy committee, and Sarah Shipley is a board member for KCSF, the parent organization of Startland News. This piece was independently produced. There’s a void of shared awareness between city government and the startup community, Rick Usher said. That’s why government officials and leaders…
8-year-old Raytown entrepreneur strings together jewelry business
Raelynn Heath’s bling is inspiring, her mother said. The 8-year-old entrepreneur has spent half her life developing a brand built on crafting original jewelry and repairing broken pieces, she said. “We take a little bit of the old and the new and the practical,” said Regina Lastiee-Heath. Young Raelynn markets her jewelry on Facebook and…
Firebrand Ventures inks $17.7M for oversubscribed seed fund
Kansas City-based seed fund Firebrand Ventures has crushed its original goal to create a $7 million seed fund for startups in the Midwest. Led by investor and former Techstars managing director John Fein, the fund raised $17.7 million for tech ventures in the Midwest, exceeding its initial goal by about 250 percent, said Fein. “I’m…
Integrated Roadways testing smart pavement tech in Colorado
Integrated Roadways is launching a pilot test of its smart pavement technology in Colorado in an effort to save lives. In partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation, Integrated Roadways will install one-half-mile of its smart pavement technology on U.S. 285 near Fairplay, Colorado. The technology, which makes roadways touch-sensitive to vehicle positions, will collect…
Digital Sandbox KC funds four new area tech startups
Four early-stage companies have joined the ranks of the Digital Sandbox KC. The proof-of-concept incubator program is awarding grants to the quartet of startups, two in partnership with the Ennovation Center in Independence, Missouri, and two out of the Innovation Stockyard in St. Joseph, Missouri. “We continue to see a high volume of creative, innovative…
Grant Gooding: Marketing math breaks down the odds of getting your campaign right
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Check out more from Grant Gooding here. With the seemingly unlimited places to spend your marketing dollars, clients ask us if we can nail down three things in almost every study we do: What is the right message to win over customers? Which…
Entrepreneurs’ innovative thinking pays off for smart cities, Think Big co-founder says
There’s a difference between innovation and invention, said Herb Sih, managing partner and co-founder of Think Big Partners. “Invention is a good idea in search of a home — or, as someone said this morning, a solution in search of a problem,” Sih said. “Reverse that: Innovation. It’s a problem in search of a solution.”…
