Keystone Innovation District

Keystone Innovation Center, image courtesy of BNIM

Report: Plans for Keystone innovation campus on East 18th collapse as interest, deals expire

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by CityScene KC, an online news source focused on Greater Downtown Kansas City. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the weekly CityScene KC email review. An ambitious proposal for a Keystone Innovation District campus on East 18th Street has experienced a major setback with…

Father Justin Mathews, Thelma's Kitchen, Reconciliation Services

LaunchKC’s latest: a Social Venture Studio to tackle social, racial, environmental issues

A new Kansas City-based social venture studio is expected to help social entrepreneurs avoid grant starvation — and depending too heavily on financial gifts — in lieu of models that focus on innovative steps toward sustainability, said Father Justin Mathews. “I got very excited about social venturing — this idea of being able to harness…

Austin Wilson, GovTech Labs

He came to KC for remote work and low-cost living; he stayed to found his own GovTech company

When remote work opportunities brought Austin Wilson to Kansas City in 2019, playing the role of founder wasn’t yet on his mind — until he met a community of starters willing to do anything it took to make their city in the image of innovation, he recalled. “There’s no better time for innovation than in a…

Image courtesy of KCSourceLink

KCSourceLink’s budget clapback: Startups generated $37.6M in KCMO earnings taxes

Editor’s note: Startland News is a program of STARTLAND, an ecosystem-building organization that is among the participants in an informal coalition of entrepreneur support groups hoping to increase funding for small business support in the 2020-2021 Kansas City, Missouri, budget. This story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. Financial backing for entrepreneur support…

Donald Hawkins, KC Collective; STARTLAND's Innovation Exchange

Ecosystem builder on Mayor Q’s budget cuts: Startup support helps fill potholes too

Startup support is an investment — not just a cost to the city, a leading ecosystem builder said Thursday following a proposed KCMO budget that would reduce funding for groups aiding KC’s emerging innovators and risk-takers. “Go around to meet the entrepreneurs, understand their stories — see how we max out our credit cards to hire…