Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC)

KCultivator: This builder fell hard for Kansas City; turns out, it was a surprise she didn’t need to manifest

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Kansas City is far from dry when it comes to opportunity, Becca Castro said, recalling her desert upbringing and admittedly low expectations for what a life in the Midwest could look like.  “I just thought, ‘Who…

Lesser-known sales tax faces pivotal 2026 vote, opportunity to define its next chapter

Editor’s note: The following details the Kansas City’s Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax initiative within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. EDCKC is a paid partner of Startland News. A decade-long experiment in east side investment is entering a new crucible as Kansas City’s CCED sales tax district heads toward a quiet…

Meet LaunchKC’s winners: $60K prize today; world headquarters in KC tomorrow

Every iconic company headquartered in Kansas City — from Helzberg Diamonds to Hallmark — started with an entrepreneur hoping to scale a small idea into big impact, said Jim Erickson, teasing a next wave of emerging startups and the latest winners of the LaunchKC grants competition. Eight early-stage companies were announced Monday as recipients of…

Here’s how a Prospect renewal project invests in both those who built KC and the city’s future

Economic development initiatives are measured not just in buildings, but in opportunity, said Melissa Patterson Hazley, lauding the use of the Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax Program to transform underutilized parcels in Kansas City into modern, energy-efficient housing that support long-term neighborhood vitality. “Projects like Prospect Summit represent the intentional work of making…

AlphaGraphics expansion boasts $1.4M investment, plans to create 16 new KC jobs

A production crew known for eye-catching, colorful designs splashed across Kansas City — including its own East Crossroads headquarters — is expanding its physical and human footprint, marking a key investment in the metro’s growing creative and professional services sector, local leaders said.  AlphaGraphics on Tuesday announced an investment of more than $1.4 million and…