Startland News Staff
Sometimes we share credit. The “Staff Writer” byline appears on stories reported, written, or edited collaboratively by members of the Startland News team — especially for quick hits and breaking news.
Recent Stories by Startland News Staff
Meet the half-dozen, seasoned KC founders joining Pipeline’s latest fellowship class
Nearly half of the new class of Pipeline fellows hail from Kansas City startups, revealed the high-profile entrepreneur network Thursday at the Pipeline Innovators Daytime Showcase. Among those Kansas City founders taking the stage during the announcement: Dominique Davison, PlanIT Impact; Kyle Ginavan, OneHQ; Bo Lais, Lula; Luke Lim, Tile Five LCC; A.J. Mellott, Ronawk…
Newly launched Dare to Venture competition set to award $30K in micro-grants
Participants in a series of select entrepreneurship courses this winter will be eligible to win a total of $30,000 in micro-grant awards thanks to the Urban Business Growth Initiative. Funded by the City of Kansas City, Missouri, and administered by the UMKC Innovation Center, the new Dare to Venture Micro-Grant Competition is expected to feature…
Female coaches face tighter scrutiny, former D1 coach says; docUssist protects careers on the court
A new partnership between Overland Park-based docUssist and an “army of female coaches” will help the sports tech startup in its mission to protect the careers and reputations of women on basketball courts across the globe, said Marsha Frese. “Female coaches are one of the most targeted groups with respect to Title IX violations and…
PayIt rings in new year with expanded executive team, repeat GovTech 100 honors
GovTech leader PayIt continues its rapid growth after a massive 2019 funding year, thanks to the hiring of another key C-suite executive — a 20-year veteran in enterprise software sales and leadership. The move puts Neil Graham in the role of PayIt’s first chief revenue officer, and brings the executive team of the industry award-winning…
Pipeline names OKC startup veteran, podcast host as fellowship’s new executive director
A tech startup founder and community builder in the Oklahoma City innovation ecosystem will soon work to open the valve for greater entrepreneurship support in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The Pipeline entrepreneurs fellowship, a network of some of the Midwest’s most successful and high-performance startup leaders, announced Tuesday that Melissa Vincent would take over leadership…
Fund Me, KC: Mind Star App ‘needed in my darkest moments,’ says founder, survivor of depression
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Kristin Rulon with her Mind Star Health campaign — to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Who are you? Kristin Rulon, founder and CEO…
No MO: Kansas City, St. Louis drop off Inc list of ‘50 Best Cities for Starting a Business’
Shots fired. A new ranking by Inc. magazine claims startup powerhouse Austin, Texas, is “leading the nation in job creation and high-growth company density — and delish BBQ.” Kansas City? Not even on the list. Inc.’s Surge Cities index — detailing what founders can learn from the 50 Best U.S. Cities for Starting a Business…
Meet the 2020 class: BetaBlox demo day returning with events across startup sister cities
Audience tickets for BetaBlox’s Overland Park demo day are nearly gone, said Weston Bergmann, just weeks before the incubator program showcases its newest startups across three events in two cities. The “can’t-miss entrepreneurship event” Jan. 20 at the GRID Collaborative Workspace is expected to entail a combination of pitches, expo-style networking, and a panel of…
Digital Sandbox welcomes four new startups led by emerging, veteran KC founders
The latest round of founders joining Digital Sandbox KC includes relative newcomers to the startup scene alongside a Fountain City Fintech alum and a key player behind one of Kansas City’s biggest exits. The proof-of-concept program announced Friday the addition of four new companies for its fourth quarter: TripleBlind, led by Riddhiman Das, who made…
Startups to Watch, Innovation Exchange returning; Startland News announces 2020 events calendar
Startland News’ most popular annual and monthly events are set to return in 2020, Austin Barnes said Tuesday, releasing a full calendar of events for the new year. “In the last six months of 2019, Innovation Exchange drew its biggest crowds since its return from hiatus in March 2018,” said Barnes, programming director for Startland…