Latest Stories

Pop Bookings nearing seed round goal

Kansas City-based Pop Bookings has snagged $150,000 of its seed round that will boost development and marketing of its online event-staffing platform. The company ultimately hopes to push its round to $250,000 before closing, Pop Bookings CEO Erika Klotz said. A recent graduate of business accelerator SparkLabKC, Pop Bookings opened its round in April at $250,000, with…

Guest Columnists Wanted!

Startland News is seeking well-informed people and thought leaders who want to contribute their knowledge and experiences to the community. If you are interested in innovation, technology, business strategies and/or the startup community, and have something to say, we want to hear from you! As a Guest Columnist, you’ll hunt your own ideas or learn…

ECJC president to become Kansas commerce secretary

George Hansen, president and CEO of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County (ECJC), is moving on to serve the Sunflower State in a broader capacity. Hansen, who was appointed to lead the ECJC in June of 2013, will serve as Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s Secretary of Commerce. The ECJC is a non-profit venture development organization…

Events Preview: Vets2Ventures & Startup Grind

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 The Lean Lab Monthly Happy Hour When: August 20 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Where: Harry’s Bar & Tables Join us every third Thursday of the…

LaunchKC cuts applicant field to 100 grant finalists

An international grant competition that will welcome 10 new tech firms to Kansas City has cut a few hundred companies from its field of applicants. LaunchKC — which aims to attract 10 tech firms to relocate to KC with $50,000 grants — notified 100 finalists of the competition on Wednesday via an email. Judges identified…

UMKC kicks off high-impact entrepreneur speaker series

The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Bloch School is hosting a bevy of successful area entrepreneurs to offer lessons and insights. UMKC’s “First Wednesdays” series will kick off this fall, aiming to offer area residents and students the chance to network and learn from some of Kansas City’s brightest business minds. The university’s first event is…

Scholarship courses available to KC entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners in Kansas City, Mo., can now tap a variety of scholarship opportunities to help their ventures grow. The Urban Business Growth Initiative is offering scholarships to three courses this fall that hope to assist Kansas City business owners develop their vision, test market viability and more. Some scholarships are worth…

Gallery: Techweek countdown party

Dozens of entrepreneurs, technologists and businesspeople sipped cocktails Monday at Techweek’s countdown party. Below are some photos from the event, which revealed eight new speakers and a rough schedule of events. To learn more about the event, click here.

The WTF series: ‘API’

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. APIs — or Application Programming Interfaces — are everywhere. You just don’t see them everyday. Unless you’re…

Techweek makes intro to Kansas City

It only seems fitting that bass-thumping techno music would introduce Kansas City’s most anticipated technology conference. National tech conference Techweek — which will be in Kansas City from Sept. 14 to Sept. 20 — made its official introduction into the Kansas City community Monday evening with a party at the Sprint Accelerator. After arriving in Kansas City only six hours earlier,…