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Local entrepreneurs prompt court to hit pause on Kansas ‘patent troll’ rules

A U.S. District Court of Kansas is collecting more public input on proposed legal rule changes after area entrepreneurs expressed concerns that the measures could make the area a haven for “patent trolls.” Patent trolls are non-practicing entities that purchase broadly defined patents with the intention to sue growing companies that are developing tangentially related…

Events Preview: Monitoring financial performance

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. Weekly Events Preview The Budget Series: Monitoring Financial Performance When: Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson…

mySidewalk CEO steps down, Stephen Hardy takes the helm

Nick Bowden, the former CEO of Kansas City tech firm mySidewalk, recently resigned from the firm he co-founded. Effective immediately, the company’s former COO, Stephen Hardy, will serve as CEO, Hardy told Startland News. Bowden will remain with the company as an advisor and will serve as a board member. “The company has my full…

Roberts: Court action to make KC a patent troll haven will squash innovation

Editor’s note: Melissa Roberts is urging the Kansas City business community to sign a petition that aims to halt an effort to establish Kansas City as an area friendly to “patent trolls.” The commenting period on the proposed changes closes 5 p.m., Nov. 26. The opinions in the commentary are the author’s alone.  I used…

Nick Ward-Bopp: Local maker community harkens to KC’s creative roots

Editor’s Note: Nick Ward-Bopp co-manages the MakerSpace at the Johnson County Library, helping the community use tools for digital fabrication like 3D printers and laser cutters. He also spends his nights and weekends co-running Maker Village — a small wood and metal shop in Midtown Kansas City — where it focused on building community through workshops…

Kansas City’s slow, steady entrepreneurial growth nabs No. 23 ranking

For the second year in a row, Kansas City maintained its rank as No. 23 out of 40 metros in entrepreneurial activity, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s 2016 Main Street Entrepreneurship report. The annual report covers the rate of business owners, established small business density, survival rate and more. These metrics are calculated…

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran pens letter to Kansas City ‘pioneers’

Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted to Startland News by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. The opinions expressed in the commentary are the author’s alone. Entrepreneurs are determined individuals who doggedly pursue ideas they believe can improve the quality of life for people around the world. They represent the backbone of the global economy,…

Report: Area Latino business ownership surged in 2015

Latino business ownership is on the rise in the Kansas City area, according to a recent study. While area entrepreneurial activity has largely remained steady, the percent of Latinos that own businesses in Kansas City considerably increased from 2014 to 2015, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Index of Main Street Entrepreneurship. Now just…

Events Preview: Happy Thanksgiving!

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. Weekly Events Preview KC Roundtable When: Nov. 24, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Where: Eggtc KC Roundtable is in existence to provide…

Chris Brown: Don’t make this common mistake when signing contracts

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. Among the benefits of operating your startup or freelance business as an LLC is the limited liability for the company’s owners. Limited liability means the…