Letter from the editor: Every story starts somewhere
October 6, 2021 | Tommy Felts
Editor’s note: The following letter from Startland News’ editor in chief kicks off Startland News’ eight-week donor campaign seeking reader support for the nonprofit newsroom. Click here to donate.
Every story starts somewhere — and today we’re asking for your help to start more.
Tommy Felts, Editor in Chief, Startland News
Startland News is continuing its mission in 2022 to elevate bold, untold stories of Kansas City startups, entrepreneurs, makers, creatives, and risk-takers.
Our goal: raise $100,000 from readers and supporters to further power the community-focused, solutions-based journalism you’ve come to love and expect from us over the past 6.5 years.
The eight-week campaign went live Tuesday — National News Engagement Day — and runs through Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30. In the coming days and weeks, we’ll reveal exclusive giveaways and offers for donors — but don’t worry, you can still give today and be eligible for these exciting rewards.
We’re happy to announce that we’ve already secured $20,000 in committed matching dollars from early donors. The first comes from KCRise Fund, a Kansas City venture capital firm, which pledged $10,000 toward our goal.
“We hope you will consider giving a gift of any dollar amount to help us support this great organization and their mission of supporting entrepreneurial efforts and the design thinking mindset that they’ve done an amazing job of growing in our region,” said Darcy Howe, founder and managing director of KCRise Fund, who pledged the match funds alongside Ed Frindt, general partner, and Caroline VanDeusen, principal.
We’ll unmask additional match donors as the campaign rolls on.
Watch a testimonial video from KCRise Fund below, then keep reading.
Startland News stories often are the start of an entrepreneur’s media story — frequently serving as the first piece of local news that covers their startup, small business, non-profit, project, or idea. With about 400 stories already published this year, that makes us one of the metro’s leading discovery platforms for new and innovative ideas and a key resource for the talented people making them a reality.
As a program of Startland — a 501(c)3 non-profit community-building organization that seeks to unlock the starter in everyone — our newsroom’s mission goes far beyond cheerleading.
By shining a spotlight on these individuals and businesses (along with their challenges, setbacks and even failures), we aim to make entrepreneurship more approachable and accessible, exposing untapped potential in Kansas City and beyond.
It all starts somewhere. And today it can start with you.
Tommy Felts,
Editor in Chief,
Startland News
2021 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
From Slavic studies to coding, LaunchCode helps Kansas Citian find new career
It’s been in Kansas City only four months, but LaunchCode is already making an impact. The St. Louis-based non-profit organization arrived in February to grow Kansas City’s tech sector by organically building its pool of talent. LaunchCode helps educate locals with an interest in changing careers to work in tech, and then connects them with…
CEO: Kansas’ politics pushed Pathfinder Innovations into Missouri
Destructive economic and social policies in Kansas compelled Pathfinder Health Innovations’ move to the Show Me State, its founder wrote in a blog post critical of state leaders. A tech service provider for people with autism, Pathfinder received tax incentives for its border hop to Missouri but Pathfinder CEO Jeff Blackwood said the move also…
WonderWe launches faith-based crowdfunding platform
Kansas City-based software startup WonderWe hopes to tap a specific market for its new faith-based crowdfunding platform. Launched in early June, WonderWe combines faith-based values, the latest in crowdfunding tech and new proprietary features to “be one of the leading names” in crowdfunding, said Dominic Ismert, founder of WonderWe. The platform currently accepts fundraisers for…
The Lean Lab will award $100K to education entrepreneurs
Local efforts to inject innovation into education received a boost Friday as The Lean Lab announced fellows in its incubator program will earn seed capital for their projects aimed at disrupting traditional learning. Founded in 2013, The Lean Lab welcomed five new teams of fellows from around the nation for its incubator, which develops…