Victor Gutwein

Venture experts: Getting your first check in KC is too difficult, but a record influx of coastal investors isn’t a bad substitute

A new report on Kansas City’s venture-backed companies showed year-over-year growth in multiple areas — impressing industry experts who identified key investment trends in the data. More companies with venture capital backing; higher employee counts; a 58 percent boost in fundraising. Yet growth was not universal. Despite gains in top-line figures, the number of Kansas City-based…

Big wins up the odds: KC’s standing among Midwest peer cities rises in new M25 ranking

Headline-grabbing success stories and newly boosted state funding for startup support are a powerful combination, said Victor Gutwein, detailing Kansas City’s higher 2022 spot on M25’s annual ranking of Midwest startup cities. Kansas City rose to No. 11 of 59 in the deep dive report — which explores how micro-environments in the Midwest are performing…

Meg Judy, EquipmentShare, and Brett Calhoun, Scale, accept the Midwest Madness win on behalf of Columbia, Missouri, from Katie Birge and Victor Gutwein, M25; photo courtesy of EquipmentShare

‘Homegrown unicorn’ helped this startup hub beat the bracket (and its top seed Kansas competition)

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. A…

Who’s getting funded in KC? The answer requires a long look in the mirror, analysts say

Editor’s note: Startland News asked industry experts to take an early look at the data behind the 2021 Kansas City Venture Capital-Backed Companies Report — the culmination of a three-month collaboration between UMKC’s Technology Venture Studio and Startland News, and presented by Mylo, a Lockton Company. Below are some of their leading takeaways, along with…

Kansas City; photo courtesy of Midwest + Startups

New ranking: How KC can break into the Top 10 Midwest startup cities (and why it hasn’t yet)

A freshly released ranking of Midwest startup hubs shows Kansas City maintaining its years-long position at No. 12, but warns — despite a few recent headline-grabbing wins — the metro faces the threat of stagnation without increased activity, startup reinvestment and government support. “You had to get more funding and big exits just to stay…