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.
West Bottoms developer signs NYC-based Australian cafe concept as first retail tenant in planned cultural hub
Kansas City’s historic West Bottoms is expected to gain a nationally recognized restaurant brand as SomeraRoad works to reestablish the riverside neighborhood as a cultural, culinary, and community destination, the developer said.
Just funded: 8 tech products get Digital Sandbox KC boost to strengthen KC’s innovation economy
Project funding and extended resources are expected to help more than a half-dozen emerging startups — including six in the digital health space — whose innovative technology concepts are forging the future of entrepreneurship in Kansas City, said Maria Meyers.
Here’s how Union Station, small biz marketplace are proving a real-world test for activating KC
Team Netherlands defeated Tunisia Thursday night in high-profile World Cup gameplay, but the day’s Kansas City winner was one of the city’s most iconic hubs of living history, said Union Station officials.
Crowd count: Oranje Army rallied 36,000+ fans for downtown Kansas City fanwalk
A fanwalk midday Thursday saw legions of Netherlands supporters march from downtown Kansas City to Crown Center — likely besting similar “Oranje Army” fan parades this month ahead of earlier World Cup matches in Texas, according to beacon technology from a Kansas City-based crowd-tracking company.
Bootleg Bourbon Balls reveals its secret to World Cup chocolate (and booze) lovers
With its decadent flavors and speakeasy past, Kansas City holds a secret, said Lisa Fitch. And she’s eager to share it this summer — one bourbon ball at a time — as visitors like Netherlands’ Orange Army descend on the region.
Small Biz to Watch: Q39 doubling its footprint, investing in the brand’s pitmaster-forward workforce
It’s one of Q39’s most aggressive periods of expansion yet, said Kelly McGee, describing the barbecue brand’s strategy of opening new locations, investing in team culture, and carrying forward the vision she built alongside her late husband, chef Rob McGee.