Latest Stories
Just Play Sports Solutions lands seven pro sports clients
A Kansas City startup is going pro. On Tuesday, Just Play Sports Solutions announced it will partner with seven professional WNBA teams — the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystic. The teams represent the firm’s first foray into professional sports’ clients. Founded in 2014 by two…
LED Rabbit tech enhances training for track athletes
A new Lenexa-based tech firm aims to make training for track and field athletes more precise. Founded in 2015, LED Rabbit is an electronic pacing system that can attach to or overlay any track. The product uses LED lighting to move a marker around a track, offering runners an indicator of what their pace needs…
Leawood Venture Capital opens new $25 million startup fund
Kansas City has a new venture fund focusing on early-stage tech firms. With $25 million in its coffers, Leawood Venture Capital has already made several investments in tech firms around the nation, including Kansas City-based Pepper IoT. Led by seasoned businessmen Brendan Fallis and Karl Gemperli, Leawood Venture Capital will provide equity investments and growth…
Events Preview: Lean Lab happy hour, business model canvas
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…
Concerned tech leaders pen amicable yet stern letter on KCMO’s proposed Airbnb, Homeaway rules
An advocacy group representing the area tech industry has offered a series of concerns on how the City of Kansas City, Mo., could regulate home-sharing services like Airbnb or Homeaway. In a letter to the Kansas City Council regarding proposed regulations on homesharing, the KC Tech Council said the area now has an opportunity to…
Prairie Char, Integrated Animal Health sweep international ag, bio tech competition
Two tech firms based in Lawrence, Kan., swept the top awards at a recent national agriculture and biotech conference. Beating out more than 500 international competitors, Prairie Char and Integrated Animal Health snagged first and second place, respectively, at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s annual entrepreneurial showcase. “What this says is that Kansas is very…
Chris Brown: Where to Incorporate? Delaware, Missouri or Kansas?
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Readers with legal questions should consult an attorney. Entrepreneurs often think they need to incorporate in Delaware. In this article, we’ll look at whether that is the best decision (hint – often…
Vibrant clothing, mission guides socially focused startup By Grace Designs
A social impact firm with the mission to empower women in Ghana and India recently beat out more than 40 other firms to win the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge, earning it $20,000. Co-founded by Emily Moon and Kelsey Carlstedt in 2015, By Grace Designs is a nonprofit that sells handmade, culturally-authentic clothing online, offering vibrantly…
Blooom announces layoffs, new strategic focus on consumers
Refocusing its outbound efforts to solely target consumers, financial tech startup Blooom has laid off nearly a third of its staff and a top executive has resigned. The Leawood-based company recently announced that it has let go of 10 employees as it moves resources away from marketing to enterprises and will refocus on direct-to-consumer marketing….
Report: KC is a tech hub but labor shortage is hampering growth
Each day, Kansas City is better positioning itself to be the Midwest’s tech hub. But for Kansas City to realize its full potential, tech leaders, policymakers and the community need to do more to cultivate homegrown talent, KC Tech Council president Ryan Weber said. “Attracting talent from another city is a very small game — and…
