Latest Stories

Park Hill toured the country for its new innovative learning program

The Park Hill School District is introducing a new approach to learning that aims to cultivate more innovative thinking among its students. Starting in Fall 2017, Park Hill conceptualized the LEAD Innovation Studio, a high school in which students will focus on project-, problem- and professional-based learning. The studio aims to not only address growing…

International coworking firm WeWork taps Crossroads for big space

WeWork, an international coworking firm with offices in 37 cities and 12 countries around the globe, is snagging four floors in Kansas City’s Corrigan Station for a new 40,000 square feet space. With locations in Hong Kong, London, Buenos Aires, New York City and many others, the cosmopolitan coworking company will occupy the third through…

Events Preview: Most Likely to Succeed, Digital Sandbox

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…

Kansas City city hall

Mayors James, Holland urge Trump to increase broadband access

While the nation is seemingly more divided than ever, Kansas City mayors on both sides of state line are working together. Along with officials from 62 other cities and counties across the nation, Mayor Sly James of Kansas City, Mo. and Mayor Mark Holland of Kansas City, Kan. showed their support for a bipartisan effort…

After KCPS pilot, $2.2B Sprint project plans to close the U.S. homework gap

More than 20 million U.S. households do not have an internet connection, according to the PEW Research Center. Pairing that with the fact that schoolwork is more frequently requiring internet access, millions of students around the nation are severely limited in their learning. In Kansas City, the story is no different — hundreds of households remain…

Profit and purpose: Innovators share 5 social entrepreneurship lessons

It’s been said that the best things in life are free. But what social entrepreneurs know well, is that it’s not that simple — nearly everything in life comes at a cost, including the positive impact they’re trying to make. And at Thursday’s Conquer for Good conference, a variety of innovators shared how they’re working…

KC tech innovators deliver mindset and personal development advice

For many, starting a business may sound like the dream — being your own boss, making your own rules and devising your own schedule. But the reality is that the entrepreneurial life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Like most good things in life, it comes with risk and challenges. And on Wednesday a panel of…

Darcy Howe’s hustle grows, guides KCRise Fund in first year

Kansas City may not realize its good fortune with the tenacious manager of a relatively new fund that’s investing in early-stage firms. Self-described as a builder that’s competitive and impatient, Darcy Howe is weaving her years of determined leadership into the KCRise Fund, which just wrapped up its first year with $14 million in the…

Deadlines approach for BetaBlox, EY awards; LaunchKC opening soon

Kansas City abounds with growth opportunities for startups and entrepreneurs — sometimes the trick is just finding them. To that end, here are a variety of opportunities for founders and supporters of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem whose deadlines are approaching. Thanks to our friends at KCSourceLink for aggregating these opportunities! BetaBlox Deadline: March 1 Kansas City-based accelerator…

Melissa Roberts: How an Olathe hate crime affects your tech business

Editor’s note: The opinions in this commentary are the author’s alone. In the startup world, outside the Facebook echo chamber, it can be hard to see how political trends impact your business. I understand why. When you’re struggling to weed through the constant churn of working the problem, identifying a new problem and working that…