Latest Stories
Techstars’ Lesa Mitchell: Non-sexy sectors are ripe for disruption
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. In the process of looking for a new crop of companies to invest in on behalf of Techstars Kansas City, I thought I should highlight the type of companies I think are undervalued and critical to our economy. In 2017 we invested in…
VideoFizz adapts greeting card app for real estate listings, closes $500K deal
Don’t miss your customers’ cues, said Laura Steward, founder of VideoFizz. Though the Kansas City-based startup originally developed its mobile app as a tool to help individuals create video compilations of their personal photos and videos, Steward and her team noticed a growing number of real estate agents using the technology to stitch together video…
Smart KCMO takes holistic approach to digital-physical infrastructure, city manager says
Kansas City’s downtown streetcar project showcases the KC smart community’s ability to tackle multiple infrastructure projects at once, said Troy Schulte, city manager. But it isn’t the only example, he told Chelsea Collier, founder of Digi.City, Friday during a Smart Metro Summit at Plexpod Westport Commons. The event was coordinated by Digi.City, the Enterprise Center…
With big KC hiring plans, Aussie-born SafetyCulture prioritizes community engagement
Though SafetyCulture is headquartered 9,000 miles away, its new North American hub in Kansas City is being intentional about driving positive local change — particularly in education, said Ross Reed. “We really want to get into the community to make an impact,” said Reed, SafetyCulture’s North American president. “We’re going to continue to get out…
Catapult International co-founder launches Swivel Software from Lenexa HQ
Online shoppers can track orders the moment they’re placed, shipped and delivered. That kind of visibility along the supply chain — from a product’s beginnings in a factory to its final destination on the shelf — is vital for freight forwarders and importers to be efficient in the international shipping industry, Matt Motsick said. For…
AltCap banks $55M in tax credits to bolster KC’s underserved entrepreneurs
A huge award will enable AltCap to make a broader entrepreneurial impact in low- to moderate-income communities throughout Kansas City. AltCap — a Kansas City-based community development financial institution that focuses on underserved populations — has received a $55 million new markets tax credit award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The award enables…
April Boyd-Noronha: ‘Gamified’ startup Edcoda among coolest in minority-owned KC STEM
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. My columns this month feature four minority-owned STEM businesses in the Kansas City metro. The cool thing about each of these businesses? They include at least one (if not more) aspect of the STEM concept — science, technology, engineering, and math. For the…
$17M Operation Breakthrough expansion to bridge Troost, boost STEM and maker skills
An Operation Breakthrough expansion from the east side of Troost Avenue to the west is about more than jumping across the street, said Mary Esselman. The move will literally bridge a racial and economic dividing line that has persisted for decades. “Bridging Troost is not only a legacy to our founders, but is huge symbolically,…
Ginsburg’s Podcast Preview: ‘Driving Participation’ markets nonprofit influence
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. If you’re new to either podcasts or this occasional column, click here for background information. We preview specific podcasts to reveal their topics, formats and lessons from listening. Featured Podcast The Driving Participation podcast, hosted by the president of a Philadelphia-area creative agency,…
ClusterTruck sizzles on KC food delivery scene with ‘ghost kitchen’ concept
The innovation cooking within ClusterTruck’s technology makes the rapidly expanding Indianapolis company a fresh take on the restaurant-quality food delivery scene, Christian Moscoso said. “We are a software company with our own ghost kitchens, if you will,” said Moscoso, general manager for ClusterTruck’s new River Market kitchen, which opened in mid-December without a public entrance…
