Latest Stories
Survey: Most regional investors want a better due diligence process
For investors, investigating deals isn’t always an easy process. From examining an industry’s opportunity to loads of legal analysis, the amount of work in the due diligence process is often enough to deter financiers from investing in a firm. That’s why in a recent survey, a majority of regional investors said they’d love a better…
ScaleUP! KC wants ambitious startups to top $1M
Looking to surpass $1 million in revenue? The immersive, mentor-led business program ScaleUP! Kansas City has opened up applications for its sixth cohort. “ScaleUP! Kansas City continues to fill a key and vital gap in our entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Jill Meyer, program director of ScaleUP! KC. “Building a business is hard and lonely work and…
Godfather of content marketing joins the DivvyHQ team
Kansas City-based tech firm DivvyHQ just snagged an industry pioneer in content marketing for its board of directors. The Chief strategist for the Content Marketing Institute, Robert Rose recently joined the DivvyHQ team to lend his years of content marketing expertise. A nationwide speaker and author, Rose has developed content customer experience strategies for such…
Missouri named Hyperloop semifinalist, offering 760 mph alternative to I-70
Missouri is in the running to land a futuristic transportation system that would move people between Kansas City and St. Louis in only 23 minutes. On Wednesday, transportation tech firm Hyperloop One announced 11 semifinalist routes in the U.S. that could receive its system that propels vehicles at speeds of about 760 miles per hour….
After $8.5M raise, KC-based Pepper eyes IoT dominance
From app-controlled toilets to smart egg trays, the world of IoT is rapidly expanding. In fact, by 2020, it’s expected that more than 24 billion internet-connected devices will be online. And now one well-heeled Kansas City-based IoT startup wants to serve as the hub for those gadgets. After it recently raised a $8.5 million Series…
Jeff Shackelford: Why would KC want to build the next Silicon Valley?
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. I recently read an article that shows you can slant a story anyway you want and that many authors write to match their preconceived notions — whether it’s true or not. The article that got me thinking about this was from Bloomberg’s Sarah…
Investor dinners, KC hospitality garner praise at Rise of the Rest Summit
Kansas City’s hospitality recently took center stage at the national Rise of the Rest Summit in Washington, D.C. Addressing ecosystem leaders around the nation, KCRise Fund managing director Darcy Howe shared strategies she’s used to build the KCRise fund, including a tactic that’s nourishing area startups — literally and figuratively. In addition to showcasing her…
Events Preview: KC Design Week, Lean Lab Innovation Workshop
There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Are you hosting a relevant community event? Feel free to add it to the FWD/KC calendar for increased exposure. Once your event…
Yoga for five-year-olds? Visionary KC charter school launching pilot program
Kansas City-based elementary school Dreams KC will launch its first pilot program this month, but don’t expect the same old classroom model “Dreams is a whole child model,” explained Catina Taylor, founder of Dreams KC. “What that means is we don’t focus on them from the neck up, we develop their civic, personal, professional and…
Gooding: Your customers don’t care about you
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Check out more from Grant Gooding here. It’s true. The moment you start talking about yourself is the moment you start losing. There is no doubt that as human beings we have a natural affinity to talk about ourselves; self-promotion is hard-wired…
