Equity2

How a crowdfunding site is adding extra cheddar to Buffalo State Pizza’s relocation plans 

Confidence is already in the box for Buffalo State Pizza Co.’s owners as they look to everyday investors to help their business complete and grow into a new space near downtown Overland Park, they said.  The duo — Philippe Lechevin and Steve Robson — launched a campaign this fall on the crowdfunding site Honeycomb Credit…

Ruben Alonso, president, AltCap; Kelvin Perry, president, Black Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City; Karis Harrington, chief of business development, G.I.F.T.; Brandon Calloway, CEO and co-founder, G.I.F.T.; Emily Lecuyer, managing director, equity2 (not pictured, Josh Rowland, CEO and vice chairman, Lead Bank)

AltCap, GIFT, small business allies partner to expand opportunities for Black-owned ventures

A coalition of Kansas City organizations have joined forces to launch a new partnership that will invest in the region’s Black-owned small businesses through flexible debt and equity financing, grant funding and business advisory services, the group announced Thursday. “Unfortunately, many Black entrepreneurs are left out of the financial mainstream when it comes to business…

Kerri Thurston, C2FO

C2FO’s advice: Seek global capital, local startup partners (Top VC-Backed event photos)

Leawood-based fintech powerhouse C2FO didn’t raise nearly $300 million in capital by accident, nor without a strategy for selecting the right investors, Kerri Thurston told a crowd of founders, executives and investors gathered to celebrate the startups on Startland’s list of Kansas City’s Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies in 2019. “Focus on folks who can really…