Letter from the editor: Help us Give A Start to KC innovators
October 6, 2020 | Tommy Felts
Editor’s note: The following kicks off Startland News’ Give A Start — an eight-week donor campaign seeking reader support for the nonprofit newsroom. Click here to donate.
It’s a big day. Startland News is launching its first-ever donor campaign — asking our readers to join in financially supporting a nonprofit newsroom that’s helped elevate Kansas City entrepreneurs for more than five years.
Tommy Felts, Startland News
We’re calling it Give A Start.
The eight-week campaign runs today — National News Engagement Day — through Giving Tuesday on Dec. 1.
Independent newsrooms are more important than ever. Startland News now is a team of three full-time journalists, posting about 40 articles a month — nearly half of them about underserved or underrepresented entrepreneurs.
We’re shining a spotlight on Kansas City innovation with solutions-based, human-focused storytelling — as well as showcasing resiliency in a pandemic-struck world.
Click here to donate to keep Startland News scaling its storytelling.
Kansas City starts companies.
We start covering them.
Startland News is proud to be a discovery platform for a broad range of startups, disruptors, creatives, makers and risk-takers. Our readers value being among the first to learn about the bold new ideas fueling Kansas City businesses.
For the entrepreneurs and innovators themselves, an article in Startland News often helps lay the media groundwork for credibility and exposure to an audience of peers and potential customers and investors. We’re frequently the first step in getting covered by a national publication, gaining industry attention or landing a game-changing investment.
It’s about giving a start — but also context.
We must explore critically the challenges and even failures that go hand-in-hand with creativity and innovation. Learning from those setbacks — and inspiring others to keep pushing forward or make their own start — is key to strengthening Kansas City for generations to come.
In short: Your support will help us dig deeper.
Give what you can. Give A Start.
A monthly or one-time gift to Startland News (in whatever amount feels right) can help us keep our momentum moving alongside the people we cover — from solopreneurs and artists to startup founders with hundreds of workers — amplifying the stories of Kansas City innovation.
Today is Tuesday. Just another day, but for many entrepreneurs, it’s the start of a journey they’re counting on Startland News to share.
Give A Start and be part of their story.
— Tommy Felts,
editor, Startland News
2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Drug side effects could kill you; meet the KS lab team using DNA testing to save patients
A clinical reference laboratory in Olathe is working to make DNA testing for genetically optimized medications more routine and accessible in healthcare, Dr. Ziyan Pessetto shared. Sinochips Diagnostics — founded in 2019 by Dr. Jiawu Song, along with Pessetto and Dr. Andrew Godwin — was conceived with the vision to make pharmacogenomics (PGx) an integral…
PHKC planning to open its retail incubator in mid-May; here’s a first look inside the east side space
A new space for entrepreneurs to test-run their retail businesses is envisioned as a 12- to 16-month stepping stone to their own permanent storefronts or locations, said Dan Smith, and the resource could be open as soon as this spring. “We’re preparing entrepreneurs to open their own brick and mortars on the east side,” said…
Chingu founders, Mean Mule partner for KC’s first soju — a Korean nod to vodka, distilled with culture
Serial foodpreneurs Keeyoung Kim and David Son are launching the Midwest’s first locally distilled premium soju — a pays homage to the traditions of soju, but embraces a new era of cocktail culture. Through a partnership with Mean Mule Distilling Co., the first release of Chingu Soju will be just 15-20 cases of the product. …
Company capitalization: The most overlooked definition in your SAFE
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Gabriel Riekhof is an attorney at Husch Blackwell, a leading law firm that provides unparalleled service and industry-specific solutions to clients nationwide. Introduced by Y Combinator in 2013 as an alternative to traditional convertible notes, a “Simple Agreement for Future Equity” or “SAFE”…