UMKC
Splitsy takes top prize in Regnier challenge, adding to emerging fintech startup’s spring bump
The Regnier Venture Creation Challenge doled out more than $65,000 in cash prizes to emerging startups this spring, culminating in Friday’s big win for an up-and-coming fintech app. “We had a great competition,” Bryan Boots, managing director of venture creation and assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, told Startland News. The annual…
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:…
UMKC’s top student entrepreneur has a not-so-secret play: Startups are a team sport
Editor’s note: This article is underwritten by Plexpod — a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes — but was independently produced by Startland News. From crafting custom-made bracelets in elementary school to prepping the launch for the world’s first interactive dog crate, Jonaie Johnson said she’s wanted…
Toddlers and baristas: MY Play Cafe bets on playground coffee shop concept in Lee’s Summit
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, Tiffany Kim said, recalling a trip to Las Vegas that inspired her to roll the entrepreneurial dice back home in Kansas City — despite a raging pandemic. “I call it the most relaxing day of my motherhood career,” laughed Tiffany, co-founder of Lee’s Summit-based MY Play Cafe, recalling…
UMKC-backed coding academy offers career reboot without the ‘imposter syndrome’
Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by Yoodle, a partner of STARTLAND, the parent organization of Startland News. Click here to learn about the FEC Coding Academy courses or to apply for its coming cohort, a partnership between Yoodle, the Full Employment Council and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This story was produced independently by…
