Discover the stories shaping the future of Kansas City.
From emerging startups to the people making headlines, catch up on the latest in entrepreneurship and innovation across Greater Kansas City.
Homeowners need a handbook for maintenance, founders say; their app puts to-do’s in the past
Tanuj and Rupal Gupta are taking what they know about preventative care from their medical backgrounds and applying it to homeownership, the husband-and-wife duo shared.
Speed pitch event accelerates founder funding IQ; venture capital isn’t always the right move, investors say
During the event, more than a dozen entrepreneurs rotated through small pods of investors for eight-minute conversations: one minute for the founder to lay out the company and opportunity and seven minutes for investor questions, feedback, and discussion.
How are founders building faster with less? MidxMidwest match-making earns credit alongside AI
When Scott Coons scaled his company into a $650 million global business with more than 3,000 employees worldwide, the Perceptive Software founder felt like he had to do it alone, Coons told a crowd Thursday at MidxMidwest.
Rock Island Bridge adding OneKC Roof branding as eco devo leaders celebrate 50 years of wins
A high-profile addition to one of Kansas City’s most popular new destinations is more than a marker of KCADC’s half-century anniversary, David Campbell said; the OneKC branding atop Rock Island Bridge showcases shared identity, economic strength and regional partnerships.
Rebecca Gubbels promoted to top ECJC exec role after years shaping efforts to boost entrepreneurs
A longtime entrepreneurship and banking advisor is advancing to the top leadership position at the Enterprise Center in Johnson County, succeeding Jeff Shackelford, who will retire as president and CEO by the end of the year.
Full Scale built growth, loyalty around cheaper overseas tech talent; Go inside its offshoring experiment
Full Scale developers earn unusually high incomes relative to the Philippine economy, founder Matt Watson said, creating opportunities that would otherwise be difficult for many workers there to access. That’s a convenient trade for an American CEO whose business benefits from the gap between overseas and US employees.
French company bringing 100 jobs to KC for sustainable autotech facility in Riverside
A new Kansas City-area operation is expected to grow OPmobility’s North American manufacturing footprint while strengthening its ability to serve customers across the Midwest and broader U.S. market, regional and company leaders said Tuesday.
Local grocers integrating AI into shopping experience as small businesses fill carts with tech
A group of Kansas City-area grocers are teaming with an artificial intelligence startup in hopes of making customers’ dollars go farther, Tal Zlotnitsky said, along with harnessing cutting-edge technology to help the businesses themselves stay competitive.
‘Progress doesn’t mean a wrecking ball’: 10-minute doc touts CCED success ahead of sales tax vote to fund it
A just-released mini-documentary showcases the infrastructure impact of a Kansas City investment program that has reshaped blighted neighborhoods from downtown to the east side, said Tracey Lewis, but the project also aims to highlight the human ripple effect of the sales tax-funded initiative.
KC healthtech platform records Series A, closing access gap by embedding research into everyday care
Aton Health is gearing up for its next phase of growth after closing a Series A investment, said founder Tom Sanders, positioning the Kansas City healthcare company to expand its research platform into new medical specialties and markets.
Why Storytailor is betting HōBI can turn alienating screen time into unforgettable family moments
A new product from a Kansas City-built storytelling startup allows parents, grandparents, teachers and other trusted adults to privately share observations, milestones and everyday moments that collectively paint a richer picture of a child’s life.
Chiefs’ unveil KCK stadium concept: ‘Built for noise’ (and surrounded by tailgating)
Two Kansas City firms are expected to team with the Chiefs as the football club develops initial concept renderings into a $3 billion state-of-the-art stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, by 2031.
Step inside: Crossroads smashburger spot returns with fresh drip, room to get SAUCED.
Steven Blakley’s hunger for a fresh combo — more room to get creative smashed with his burger brand’s special sauce — pushed the popular grab-and-go spot to a new home directly across the street. It reopened Tuesday in a new restaurant space that feels less boxed in, he said.