C2FO

C2FO launches empowerment grants to boost Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurs

A new grant program from one of Kansas City’s most high profile scaleups is expected to empower — and help fund — three nonprofit organizations serving Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, said Jessie Fields. “We know small business owners, and especially diverse business owners, face so many challenges,” said Fields, director of talent development and DEI…

Chat GPT isn’t an AI superhero, founder says, but with the right context this new tech can save the day for businesses

An emerging Kansas City entrepreneur hopes to train businesses on how they can harness the power of Chat GPT to gain a competitive advantage, he said. Learning how to effectively utilize Chat GPT — an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI and recently introduced into the market — can benefit all companies by streamlining operations…

Sandy Kemper, C2FO

Here’s how opening $100M in capital for entrepreneurs who need it most can boost the economy

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Alexander “Sandy” Kemper, founder and CEO of C2FO, a Kansas City-grown fintech company that provides businesses with flexible, on-demand access to working capital. C2FO is a financial supporter of Startland News. This piece originally was published here and details C2FO’s recent investment from…

C2FO: $10M investment from Starbucks CEO will unlock $100M in loans to small, diverse businesses

One of Kansas City’s most successful scaling startups announced Tuesday a new initiative — funded by Sheri Schultz and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz — to provide access to $100 million in working capital for small and diverse businesses. The partnership — designed to use Leawood-based C2FO’s innovative lending approach to deliver flexible, equitable access to…

Bungii hires former C2FO exec for CFO role; startup delivers on new consumer demands

Ratcheting through the stages of a growing startup is easier with an experienced professional under the hood, said Ben Jackson, drawing upon the comparison of scaling to “chewing glass while staring into the abyss.” “Companies fundamentally change as various revenue thresholds are surpassed,” said Jackson, co-founder of Bungii. “A seed stage company looks completely different…