Maria Meyers

Jeff Shackelford, Digital Sandbox

Changing lanes: Shackelford leaving Digital Sandbox to head Mid-America Angels, Fountain Innovation Fund

Two hats are better than one, joked Jeff Shackelford, announcing he’s accepted a new role with the Enterprise Center in Johnson County.  “I’m on the same highway but I’m kind of changing lanes,” Shackelford said as he takes the wheel as senior vice president of investment capital and financial operations at the ECJC — where…

We Create KC report: Half of top VC-backed companies tapped early-stage support

In 2018, 50 percent of the top venture capital-funded companies in Kansas City got their start with early-stage investment programs that emerged after 2012, according to We Create KC 2019, KCSourceLink’s sixth annual state of entrepreneurship report. “That high percentage shows us how important these early-stage investment programs are to our entrepreneurs and our ecosystem,”…

Sarah Mote, KCSourceLink

KCultivator Q&A: Sarah Mote inspired by radical thinkers, lowbrow humor, taking KCSourceLink social

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Quiet startups fueled by overcoming struggles are always the most fascinating stories,…

Techweek 100 list

Techweek 100 list released: Dozens of KC’s top cultivators, ambassadors and innovators

Techweek Kansas City on Friday released its Techweek 100 list of the premier leaders pushing innovation in Kansas City. The collection of cultivators, ambassadors and innovators is a who’s who of familiar names across the startup, entrepreneurship and tech communities. Released in the runup to Techweek KC’s Oct. 8-12 festivities, the list isn’t a ranking,…

Top VC-Backed Companies celebration

‘Class reunion’ collides with newer generation at Top VC-Backed Companies celebration (Photos)

It was a night of old school collisions, said Adam Arredondo, bringing together founders, executives, investors and a curated group of younger startup leaders for Startland’s Top VC-Backed Companies celebration. “The energy in the room was palpable. Many people said it felt like a class reunion, which in a way it was,” added Arredondo, CEO…