Quinton Lucas

What’s startup support worth? Orgs threatened by budget cuts rally behind ROI numbers

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 startup support in the 2020-2021 Kansas City, Missouri, budget. This story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. The impact is in the numbers,…

Danny Ritz and Kevin Ritz, State Your Line

State Your Line: Ritz Brothers’ podcast straddles KC, border between fun and dumb

Holed up at home, recovering from a broken ankle, Kevin Ritz started to toy with the idea of launching a KC-centric podcast — despite living in a city rich with audio storytellers, he noted.  “I did a lot of research as far as seeing if there was a podcast [about Kansas City] out there already…

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…

Keystone Innovation Center, image courtesy of BNIM

Mayor’s budget nixes $300K for Keystone innovation development at 18th and Troost

A proposed city budget for 2020-2021 signals a further shift in perspective for the Kansas City mayor’s office, removing significant funding for the planned Keystone innovation district project at 18th Street and Troost Avenue. KCMO would decrease the amount slated for the Keystone Development District by $300,000, if the submitted budget is approved, according to…

2020-2021 Kansas City, Missouri, city budget

Proposed KCMO budget includes $4.8M for zero-fare transit — cuts LaunchKC, KCSourceLink funding

A newly proposed city budget for Kansas City, Missouri, holds steady at $1.73 billion — making room for Mayor Quinton Lucas’ zero-fare transit program, while appearing to scale back funding for entrepreneur support across the city. KCMO would remove $50,000 for the LaunchKC program and $75,000 for KCSourceLink, if the submitted budget is approved, according…