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.
This 45-year-old Missouri brand became an unexpected TikTok star (and earned its team $1M in bonuses)
Social media turned a Smithville, Missouri-based, family-owned business into an overnight sensation; now the tight-knit team behind the viral odor eliminator is trying to preserve the scent of success.
Visitors will never guess what KC has in store for World Cup: Inside Open Doors! new shops
Bubble and slime play. Vegan Mexican cuisine. A jazz listening room. The variety and depth of Kansas City’s wide-ranging small business community will pop when visitors near and far arrive for the FIFA World Cup, said Nia Webster, calling out a compelling list of entrepreneurs selected for the city’s Open Doors! program.
Get in the game: World Cup match lights opportunity (but only if a risk-taker is willing to strike)
“FIFA isn’t thinking about Kansas City’s legacy. That’s up to us,” said Rich Chungong, a serial tech founder and cryptocurrency enthusiast who turned his attention to community organizing around the World Cup once it became clear leaders needed to step up.
Closing time: KC nixes 23-hour drinking plan for World Cup; select bars, restaurants can stay open until 5 am
“The ordinance expands opportunity for our businesses while ensuring the police department, first responders, and the City have the tools to keep residents and visitors safe,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said.
Missouri’s long-sought angel investor tax credit heads to governor’s desk after years of startup advocacy
“When one side has an angel credit and the other does not, it creates imbalance,” said Greg Kratofil. “This helps founders focus less on which side of State Line Road their office is on and more on building their business.”
Regular to behind the register: Boba lover’s dream of owning her favorite spot takes flight
“I love that I get to be scrappy and create something that’s my own, but that also means wearing every single hat,” said Lauren Aust Yuen, noting that balancing act includes making sure Chatime’s customers fall in love with the Taiwanese brand just like she and her husband.