InvestMidwest releases startup lineup for April conference; KC companies set to pitch
March 14, 2024 | Startland News Staff
Eight Kansas City startups are among 40 companies selected to pitch in April at InvestMidwest — reflecting not only a diversity of founder representation, but a wide range of agriculture, health, and digital technology innovations from across the Midwest, said Claire Kinlaw.
Claire S. Kinlaw, InvestMidwest
“The caliber of talent and innovation among the chosen companies is truly remarkable, and we’re excited to provide them with a platform to connect with investors and propel their growth,” said Kinlaw, executive director at InvestMidwest, noting more than 120 applications were received during the highly competitive selection process.
The best-fit companies are those seeking Series A funding, operating in health, agriculture, or information/data technology sectors, and are located in or primarily conduct business in the Midwest.
InvestMidwest is a premier venture capital conference in the Midwest, connecting innovative startups with investors seeking high-growth opportunities. It returns to Kansas City April 17-18 for the first time since 2019, thanks to a pandemic pause and venue rotation that sees the annual conference alternate between St. Louis and Kansas City.
Click here to view the schedule for the conference and to register.
Day 1 for the spring event is planned for the Kansas City Club with a reception that evening at the downtown Kansas City Public Library. Day 2 is set for the conference center at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Kansas City companies set to pitch at the event include two of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2024 — Poshed On The Go and Storytailor — as well as past LaunchKC and Pure Pitch Rally competitors and Pipeline fellows and Pathfinders:
- AskSAMIE, Kansas City, Missouri (Digital Health)
- Amplifi Vascular, Overland Park, Kansas (Digital Health)
- DataAppraisal, Overland Park, Kansas (Digital Health)
- EzBizPortal, Overland Park, Kansas (Digital Health)
- Poshed On The Go, Overland Park, Kansas (DigitalTech)
- Redpoint Summit, Kansas City, Missouri (Digital Health)
- Spinal Simplicity, Overland Park, Kansas (MedTech)
- Storytailor, Overland Park, Kansas (DigitalTech)
InvestMidwest pitchers also include companies from other other Missouri tech hubs:
- AdSwapper, Columbia, Missouri (DigitalTech)
- Amptify, Saint Louis, Missouri (MedTech)
- Buck Surgical, Saint Louis, Missouri (MedTech)
- Cykyl Springs, Saint Louis, Missouri (MedTech)
- Healium, Columbia, Missouri (Digital Health)
- Impetus Ag, Saint Louis, Missouri (AgTech)
- iSite Media, Saint Louis, Missouri (DigitalTech)
- SAYeTECH, Saint Louis, Missouri (AgTech)
Of the 40 companies selected to pitch at the conference, diversity in founder representation stands out prominently, InvestMidwest organizers said, noting 12 of the selected companies are founded by women, underscoring the growing presence of female entrepreneurs in the startup ecosystem.
Additionally, nine companies are represented by BIPOC presenters, reflecting InvestMidwest’s commitment to fostering inclusion and equity within the industry, the organization said.
Geographical diversity is another hallmark of this year’s lineup, with companies hailing from across the Midwest and beyond. The conference features startups from states as far-reaching as Pennsylvania and Washington. Other represented states include Oklahoma, Nebraska, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, and California, showcasing the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit thriving throughout the region, organizers said.
Click here for a full list of 2024 InvestMidwest companies.
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Raaxo takes shape after pivot from Aphrodite Bra Co’s body scan concept
Despite its use of body-mapping technology, Aphrodite Bra Company wasn’t the right fit for customers’ needs, said Carlanda McKinney, founder of the newly rebooted custom intimates company Raaxo. “Aphrodite had been stuck in the starting-up space,” she said. “We’d never really gotten enough sales or enough traction to say, ‘We’re launched,’ or, ‘We’re in business.’…
Serial entrepreneur leverages past success for Bridge Space coworking project
Bridge Space will be more than a coworking office, Ben Rao said. He hopes it will be the heart of Lee’s Summit’s blossoming entrepreneurial ecosystem. “My No. 1 goal is to accelerate entrepreneurs’ success,” said Rao, Bridge Space founder and a serial entrepreneur himself. “It’s an opportunity for me to build something that would make…
KC mom’s humble entrepreneurial journey draws on healing power of creativity
Huddled in her parents’ basement, between the cribs of her crying twin babies, Keliah Smith began to draw. She was unemployed and feeling emotionally drained. The relationship with her children’s father had soured. Her escape: the stylus and smartphone in her hands. The Kansas City mother drew what she didn’t see in the mirror, she…
Harvard University recognizes KCMO digital inclusion map
Kansas City’s geographic work to illustrate the area’s digital divide earned high praise from a prestigious university. Harvard University recently highlighted the City of Kansas City, Missouri’s Digital Inclusion map, a tool that — at a block-by-block scale — detail residents’ access to internet connectivity overlaid with poverty levels. “This visualization was chosen as Harvard’s…