Report: Tech drives nearly a 10th of Kansas City’s economy (and those employers are hiring)
October 6, 2025 | Startland News Staff
Advocates tout KC for top-tier tech talent; a new report affirms its status as an emerging market with potential for big impact
A combination of economic stability, depth and skill of talent, and operational efficiency creates conditions for companies to grow and succeed in Kansas City, said Kara Lowe, detailing new data that suggests the region is entering a growth phase ripe for tech companies.
“Kansas City’s strength has always come from the ingenuity, resilience and vision of its people,” said Lowe, president and CEO of the KC Tech Council. “In a rapidly evolving industry, that spirit is our constant advantage. Together, we’re not only growing Kansas City’s tech economy — we’re shaping its future.”
The tech council’s latest KC Tech Specs report — a comprehensive, data-driven look at the region’s tech industry — reveals a healthy and encouraging status with expanding opportunities in the bistate business community, she added.
Designed for the entire tech ecosystem, the report aims to inform business leaders, policymakers, educators, civic leaders, and students to help them better understand the region’s momentum and opportunities in tech.
Together, Kansas and Missouri saw the tech industry add an estimated $12.4 billion to the two states’ combined $35.5 billion economic impact, according to the Tech Specs report.
Other indicators of a rapidly growing tech hub, as noted by the report:
- 10.3 percent increase in tech job postings across Kansas and Missouri (2023-2025)
- 4.1 percent growth in tech businesses
- More than 225,000 tech professionals now working in the bistate region
- KC’s 75,000-plus tech professionals make up 6.9 percent of the local workforce, driving 9 percent of the KC economy — outperforming larger metros like Chicago, Nashville, and St. Louis
Click here to access the full Tech Specs report.
KC Tech Specs, v8
“This two-state region presents technology leaders with a compelling environment for steady growth, a well-established and talented workforce, and a mature business ecosystem,” the report says, adding that a competitive cost of living compared to other metros continues to specifically benefit the Kansas City metro area, which ranks as the second-most cost-effective market for technology employment.
The increase in local job postings for tech jobs also reinforces the “critical need to expand and explore nontraditional talent sourcing strategies to develop, attract, grow and retain talent,” the report says. A substantial majority of the metro area’s tech workers (60-70 percent) are young or mid-tier professionals, and total tech jobs in Kansas City actually went down from May 2024 to May 2025, mirroring a larger trend of decreased employment in all industry sectors.
However, the number of opportunities in technology combined with tech council’s resolve to find solutions in a tightened labor market create the overall optimism around the report, Lowe said.
KC Tech Council partnered with RSM US LLP to assemble the Tech Specs report with data from sources including CompTIA, JobsEQ and customized analytics from RSM US LLP.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
ProjectUK introducing specialty accelerator’s latest cohort Oct. 10 at Travois
Project United Knowledge is the only Kansas City accelerator that truly fosters collaboration between entrepreneurs and those in the industry establishment, said Quest Moffat. “It’s the biggest and most dramatic reason that we’re different from other accelerators in the Midwest region,” said Moffat, ProjectUK founder. “Co-building is where the corporation and the people that run…
New Wichita and San Antonio locations tickle Chicken N Pickle itch for expansion
North Kansas City’s Chicken N Pickle is picking up speed faster than a pickleball soaring across one of the business’ popular courts, said Laurie Morrissey. Hatched within eyesight of the downtown Kansas City skyline, the entertainment venue is making a game-changing serve with its fast-casual approach to community recreation and the evolution of America’s fastest…
Growth Acceleration Services focuses on team building process to advance startups
Building a quality team is the most important step to accelerating a startup, Doug Burris said. But hiring the right talent is often where founders make their biggest — and most expensive — mistakes, added Burris, president of Growth Acceleration Services. “We have seen firsthand the struggles founders manage as they attempt to push the…
Techweek opens Monday with KC Mayoral Candidate Tech Forum; launches app with full schedule
Candidates to be Kansas City’s next mayor will take the stage Monday at Union Station in one of Techweek KC’s first events of 2018 to talk tech and its importance in shaping the city’s future, said Ryan Weber. “We’re still a long way from the [April 2] primary election, but this forum will help voters…