KCRise Fund
Rush, Reardon, Cobb and other entrepreneurial leaders analyze KC ecosystem growth
In 2012, Google Fiber’s arrival in Kansas City lit a fire under the backside of many community leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs. To say that the city has matured would be an understatement. Many leaders say that if you lived in Kansas City in the early 2000s and were to return now, you may not even…
KCRise Fund backs five more KC-area tech startups
Spurring engagement from dozens of area investors, the KCRise Fund has announced five new funding deals in area firms. Launched in 2016 in conjunction with the regional KC Rising economic initiative, the KCRise Fund has added ShotTracker, SMRxT, SquareOffs, Backlot Cars, and Bardavon Health Innovations to its portfolio of now 10 firms. The fund did…
After $8.5M raise, KC-based Pepper eyes IoT dominance
From app-controlled toilets to smart egg trays, the world of IoT is rapidly expanding. In fact, by 2020, it’s expected that more than 24 billion internet-connected devices will be online. And now one well-heeled Kansas City-based IoT startup wants to serve as the hub for those gadgets. After it recently raised a $8.5 million Series…
Darcy Howe’s hustle grows, guides KCRise Fund in first year
Kansas City may not realize its good fortune with the tenacious manager of a relatively new fund that’s investing in early-stage firms. Self-described as a builder that’s competitive and impatient, Darcy Howe is weaving her years of determined leadership into the KCRise Fund, which just wrapped up its first year with $14 million in the…
KCRise Fund invests in PEQ and Dunami
The KCRise Fund announced two investments in area firms Thursday to round out its 2016. Launched in February in conjunction with the KC Rising economic initiative, the KCRise Fund joined ongoing investment rounds in tech firms PEQ and Dunami. Kansas City-based PEQ is an Internet of Things service enabler that created an operating system for…
