Latest Stories
Supplier stops along Prospect: Bus tour connects corporate buyers to east side businesses
The Prospect Business Association is leaning into a more hands-on approach to economic development, said Simone Curls, describing a support concept that brings decision-makers directly into the spaces where small businesses operate — opening the door to future contracts, collaborations, and long-term economic sustainability for entrepreneurs.
KC wants World Cup dollars spread further; Here’s why Airbnb is investing in a metrowide economic base camp
A newly announced strategy aims to boost spending throughout neighborhoods and small businesses across the metro — spreading out FIFA World Cup gains like the roughly $105 million in economic activity in June and July tied to short-term rentals alone.
‘This is a different type of founder’: LaunchKC reveals latest social venture cohort
Kansas City’s startup community has helped Trina Nudson feel seen and understood as an emerging entrepreneur, the Be Aligned founder shared. A spot in this year’s Social Venture Studio cohort could help her dig even deeper into the business realities of the unknown, she said. “I’m an attorney, and if you turn to a fellow…
1 Million Cups pops the bubble, opening stage to rapid-fire pitches from global entrepreneurs
Kansas City’s 1 Million Cups gathering took on an international focus Wednesday, as 13 entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Caribbean joined the community through the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative. Hosted in partnership with Global Ties KC, the gathering featured a special “Rapid 1MC” format, with five international founders presenting before a combined…
WellSky Foundation opens technology hubs to serve Kansas Citians rebooting from homelessness
Two new technology centers — embedded within organizations already offering critical resources — are expected to help expand access to digital skills and employment opportunities for individuals experiencing housing instability.
‘This is legacy work’: DeLaSalle Learning Farm keeps growing as students trade sweat for spoils of the soil
An empty one-acre field next to DeLaSalle High School is blooming into an urban learning farm that will nourish both the students and the neighboring Troost Corridor community.
Maria Meyers is passing the blueprint to KC’s ecosystem; it doesn’t come with a magic wand
“In an environment that is constantly changing and evolving, learning from each other is just part of the fabric of crafting something bigger and better,” said Maria Meyers.
UMKC debuts ‘Bloch Talks’ with five perspectives on how entrepreneur opportunity is shaped (and who’s shaping it)
A new storytelling-focused speakers event at UMKC’s Bloch School shines a spotlight on the diverse experiences that shape entrepreneurship, said Marvin Carolina Jr., drawing a parallel to the university’s boundary-crossing Regnier Venture Creation Challenge.
More than a check: How a Google partnership is fueling an OnRamp to AI education at Keystone
Twin AI education programs launching this spring and summer at Keystone CoLabs serve as proof points for what corporate-community partnerships can look like when designed for lasting impact rather than optics, said Kevin McGinnis.
Kauffman unveils ‘Visionary Award’ to honor legacy builders on KC nonprofit scene
The top visionary honored with the inaugural Uncommon Leader Visionary Award will receive $75,000, and their organization will receive an additional $150,000 to advance mission impact and extend what’s working.
