PopBookings

PopBookings rallies as KC startup looks for its own key hires: ‘We’re back in a big, big way’

After dialing back its event staffing platform’s operations during the pandemic, Kansas City-grown PopBookings is back online in the Midwest — ramping up hiring as it works toward a Series A funding round by year’s end. “Kansas City has a real nurturing feel to it. And this community is why I believe we’ll have our…

Dimarco and Scott atop Stowe Mountain in Stowe, Vermont, Joy of the Journey

Can a KC tech duo travel the world without leaving a trace? Follow their journey on YouTube

What started as a duo’s journey for purposeful adventure quickly turned into a mission to educate and advocate for sustainable travel, Dimarco Barea and Scott Hanson shared. “In 2020, Scott [Hanson] and I were both in this really interesting space where we were looking at how we wanted to contribute and dedicate our lives to…

Alec Rodgers Betty Rae's Ice Cream

Why Betty Rae’s new owner traded a finance career for waffle cones; ice cream shop reopens Monday

Reopening Betty Rae’s Ice Cream could prove as risky for Alec Rodgers’ waistline as his wallet, the 23-year-old employee-turned-owner jokingly suggested — smiling as he looked across the River Market shop with a mix of nostalgia and youthful exuberance. His eyes lit up as he recalled the rich memory of discovering his own favorite flavor:…

Venture capital Kansas City

Kansas City’s Top VC-Backed Companies in 2020

The 2020 Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies List reflects a range of success stories and COVID-era challenges among Kansas City’s community of growth-stage, venture-backed companies. The list — updated annually by Startland News and its parent organization, Startland — shows that while few companies were spared from COVID-19’s impact, many of Kansas City’s leading entrepreneurs continued to grow…

C2FO’s Sandy Kemper: Remote work has potential to strain communication, but fosters empathy

Editor’s note: The following is part of Startland News’ ongoing coverage of the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Kansas City’s entrepreneur community, as well as how innovation is helping to drive a new normal in the ecosystem. Click here to follow related stories as they develop. C2FO and the Kemper Family Foundation are financial supporters of Startland News,…