Latest Stories
Events Preview: Second Fridays, weekend coding events
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 Second Fridays When: Friday, January 8 @ 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Where: Village Square Coworking Studio Second Fridays is simply a…
Top 10 Kansas City startups to watch in 2016
Kansas City is home to countless startups. But what early-stage ventures are the most promising and worth a closer look? As we entered 2016, Startland News evaluated the area’s top startups based on the strength of their team, current traction, disruptiveness and job growth potential. Below is a list of the top 10 area enterprises we’ve…
Settle up with Uncle Sam early (and other tax tips for startups)
Whether it’s your first year of startup life or your twentieth, it’s a great feeling to wrap up the year on December 31 and see just how far you’ve come. January starts off full of promise, and then you remember: You still need to settle up with Uncle Sam. To help put the final ribbon…
The WTF Series: Augmented Reality
On a daily basis, Ben Kittrell translates the jargon-filled world of technology for clients of his tech consultancy. The Words that Frustrate (WTF) series aims to offer readers some clarity in an industry dominated by techies’ confusing argot. Thanks to the Oculus Rift device, you probably heard last year’s buzz on virtual reality. The device,…
Deacon: Kansas City evolving into a digital laboratory
Cities have become veritable technology ecosystems where data is amassed from almost everything, from air quality and rainfall patterns to traffic flow and the availability of parking spaces. As we become more familiar with the all-encompassing term “smart city,” we can begin to experiment with the futuristic-but-practical applications for all this data, creating the concept of…
ShotTracker scores partnership with sports equipment giant Spalding
Overland Park, Kan.-based startup ShotTracker will partner with Spalding, the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world, to debut the first multi-player basketball tracking technology. ShotTracker’s technology tracks real-time basketball performance statistics using data from chips embedded in a basketball, players’ shoes, and portable sensors placed around the court. Davyeon Ross, COO of ShotTracker, commented that their…
After waning state support, Kansas Bioscience Authority will go private
A formerly state-backed investment organization for Kansas bioscience businesses will soon be transitioning from a public to private organization. After dwindling support from the State of Kansas, the Kansas Bioscience Authority’s board recently voted unanimously to shift the organization to the private market in 2016, allowing portfolio companies to partner with investors in the private…
Rightfully Sewn founder stitches a vision for Kansas City’s fashion future
Poised, posh and purposeful, Jennifer Lapka Pfeifer sits straight as a board at Kaldi’s coffee shop with unwavering eye contact. Donning a contoured-floral blue and white dress, Lapka smiles as she poetically recalls painting in high school and learning to sew with her grandmother in rural Kansas. Those experiences fostered a love for fashion, art…
By the Numbers: A look at Midwest tech investment in 2015
Startland News recently distilled a report by Lead Bank and investment research firm CB Insights that analyzed the Midwest tech investing scene. Here are a few more of the findings from the nearly 40-page report, as presented by Startland’s Kat Hungerford.
Shawnee tax incentives aim to lure startups to the ‘burbs
The City of Shawnee is poised to kick off a tax incentive program that hopes to attract “high-growth” tech companies to the area by alleviating initial startup costs. Shawnee City councilman Brandon Kenig said that the “Startup Workforce Relocation and Expansion Program” will encourage job growth and innovation in one of Kansas’ fastest growing cities….
