Latest Stories
KC Startup Foundation aims to unify early-stage biz community
Leaders of the Kansas City Startup Village are maximizing their volunteer efforts with the establishment of a foundation that hopes to unite startups and entrepreneurs in the area. Formalized in October as an official 501(c)3 public charity, the Kansas City Startup Foundation grew out of the village’s need for more external support and resources. Founded…
‘Happy we don’t have to leave’ Little Hoots’ $450K raise will keep KC home
Once on the verge of departing its hometown, Kansas City-based Little Hoots recently raised funds to boost development of its app, allowing the startup to remain in the City of Fountains. Led by CEO Lacey Ellis, Little Hoots’ memory-keeping app struggled to find traction with Kansas City area investors, which nearly forced the company to…
Funding roundtable: ‘You can’t fake it’ and more funding advice from KC founders
Your company is steadily growing, but it looks like you’re nearing a plateau. Perhaps your startup is doing just fine, but a well-heeled competitor just entered your market and slapped a target on your customers. Or maybe you’ve got a solid idea but little dough to get it off the ground. Regardless of the case,…
Techstars firms to spread local roots via Brad Feld’s Kansas City home
More graduates of the Techstars-led Sprint Mobile Accelerator may be calling Kansas City home thanks to venture capitalist Brad Feld. Feld, co-founder of the international accelerator program Techstars, is making his Kansas City, Kan. home available to graduates of the local Techstars program rent free. “I’m very happy with how things have gone to date,”…
Subjective language is making your elevator pitch completely forgettable
Your elevator pitch is the single most important communication of you or your business and why you are relevant. Last month I wrote about how you can use your elevator pitch — or 20-second summary of your business — as a litmus test to determine if you are creating your own market or if you…
Kansas City dishes on diversity in the entrepreneurial community
It’s often said that two heads are better than one. But what if those two “heads” have the same socioeconomic, gender and racial compositions? What if their life experiences mirror one another so closely that they arrive at the same conclusions or generate the same general ideas? It’s no secret that diversity can foster the…
Funding roundtable (part II): Entrepreneurs compare KC investment scene to other cities
Welcome back to part two of our roundtable discussion on the early-stage investment sector in Kansas City. For a more formal introduction on this series and its five participants, please refer to part one on Kansas City’s investment culture and evolving economy. Check out the third and final installment of the series with the entrepreneurs’ advice for…
Events Preview: KC Next Winter Event
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 Handmade Holiday Sale When: December 10 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Where: Hammerspace The creative, talented maker members of HammerSpace Community…
Funding roundtable: Kansas City still has a lot to learn about venture capital
After growing demand for more coverage on Kansas City’s early-stage investment capital landscape, Startland News decided to start a conversation on the subject. In November, we hosted five Kansas City entrepreneurs for a frank discussion on their experience raising funds in and outside of Kansas City. The aim of the conversation was to create a…
University students score opportunities via Pipeline IOTY
Four college student founders are hoping to capitalize on facetime with high-profile businesspeople as part of an inaugural university competition at Pipeline’s Innovator of the Year event. Students from four regional universities will present their startups at the annual Kansas City-hosted IOTY event, which features a pitch competition among 10 Pipeline fellows, an evening gala…
