Latest Stories
Coty Beasley: Digital divides threaten Kansas City’s future
Editor’s note: On a daily basis, Coty Beasley translates the jargon-filled world of technology for clients. The Words that Frustrate (WTF) series aims to offer readers some clarity in an industry dominated by techies’ confusing argot. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. By reading this article, you may be one of…
Westport Commons inks first investment fund tenant for huge shared workspace
One of Kansas City’s newest venture funds is making good on its promise to immerse itself in the world of startups. Only a few weeks after its debut, Kansas City-based Firebrand Ventures announced on Thursday that it has partnered with Plexpod to work directly alongside its entrepreneurs at what will be the world’s largest coworking…
Kauffman Foundation offers $25K via ‘1 in a Million’ contest
Think your business is one in a million? The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is offering 1 Million Cups presenters from the last year a chance to snag some cash — and this year they’ve bumped up the prize to $25,000. In its second year, the 1 in a Million competition is open to any firm…
Swanky downtown apartments to feature KC-made smart home tech
A $69 million office-to-apartment conversion project in Kansas City will soon feature new Internet-of-Things technology that its creators hope will become a model for the world of real estate. Amid a flood of development projects in downtown Kansas City, Sunflower Development Group and Block Real Estate Services are converting Traders on Grand — a 20-story…
KC startups nab first, second place in national contest
Two Kansas City startups recently reigned supreme in UPS’s inagural Midwest X-Port Challenge. Mobility Designed, a medical device company from Prairie Village, Kan. that is also a 2016 LaunchKC grant finalist, won first place. The startup has garnered international attention thanks a viral video featuring their futuristic crutches. Mobility Designed CEO Liliana Younger said that…
Striving to change KC culture, LiveKC launches app
Millennials now make up the largest portion of the working population. A generation growing up with fast-paced technology in hand, Kansas City will have to move quickly to keep ahead of the curve and to attract and retain young talent. In order to do that, the LiveKC initiative was born in order to make Kansas…
Events Preview: A conversation with Henry and Tom Bloch
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW A Conversation with Henry and Tom Bloch When: September 7 @ 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Where: Bloch Executive Hall, Room 218 Join…
Kansas City to become gigabit testbed with first-in-U.S. infrastructure
Since the arrival of Google Fiber in 2012, Kansas City has been buzzing with excitement about gigabit internet and how it can benefit citizens. Gigabit-fast speeds are convenient for individuals and businesses alike, but one question has remained unanswered: how does a community — especially one trying to build a smart city — take advantage…
Readers dub Kansas City’s top spots for coffee meetings
“Let’s grab coffee.” It’s a universal phrase in the world of business that can lead to friendship, a deal or even a new company. And with coffee serving as a global binding agent for businesspeople, Startland News wanted to figure out where Kansas Citians are most likely to convene to catch up. We surveyed more…
Report: Kansas City is the 8th-worst metro for entrepreneur diversity
It’s a dreary day for Kansas City in terms of successfully supporting a diverse entrepreneurial community. The City of Fountains is far below the national average — and the majority of the most-populated metros — when it comes to minority business ownership, according to the United States Census Bureau. The bureau on Thursday unveiled the…
