All Stories

These shoes are made for girls combat sports; now you can buy a pair down the street 

By Tommy Felts / September 1, 2022

A Kansas woman’s mission to bring girls’ athletic gear to traditionally male sports scored a big win this week as Yes! Athletics announced its move from online-only sales to local store shelves. Furthering its reach beyond the Yes! Athletics website, the shoe brand can be purchased at three Jock’s Nitch Sports stores in Kansas —…

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Katz cat grins again: KC icon returning to the streets — this time near Liberty Memorial

By Tommy Felts / September 1, 2022

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by CityScene KC, an online news source focused on Greater Downtown Kansas City. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the weekly CityScene KC email review. The Katz Drug Store sign, a one-time iconic streetscape fixture in Kansas City and beyond with its happy cat…

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Pipeline opens application for 2023 fellowship, Pathfinder; boosts its own storytelling

By Tommy Felts / September 1, 2022

Midwest entrepreneurs deserve the resources they need to scale into high-growth ventures, said Melissa Vincent, announcing the launch this week of applications for Pipeline’s latest fellowship and Pathfinder program for overlooked founders. Tapping into its network of more than 180 entrepreneurs who have generated over $2.2 billion in revenues, Pipeline’s support system ranges from intense…

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KC BizCare awarded $300K by Kauffman for small business census, new ESO accelerator

By Tommy Felts / September 1, 2022

Entrepreneurial support organizations experience many of the same challenges faced by Kansas City’s small business community, stifling their effectiveness, Nia Richardson noted.  “This includes staffing and resource constraints, lack of business education and practical experience, and fragmented systems of support. Without addressing these structural and systemic constraints, enabling equitable and inclusive small business growth will…

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2022 Kansas City’s VC-Backed Companies Report

By Tommy Felts / August 31, 2022

The metro’s field of venture capital-backed companies is getting more crowded — their payrolls swelling with new employees — amid a bounce-back from the global pandemic and new signals of Kansas City’s momentum, according to data in a new report from Startland News. The 2022 Kansas City Venture Capital-Backed Companies Report provides an updated snapshot into…

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Sicilian legacy meats its match: Why this rising star on KC’s food scene was DiCapo’s pick to take over family pizzeria after nearly 100-year run

By Tommy Felts / August 31, 2022

As a teenager working in downtown Kansas City in the 1990s, Theresa Santos found herself spending her breaks and spare time at the Italian Gardens restaurant on 12th and Baltimore, she recalled. Growing up in New York City and infatuated with Italian culture and food, Santos quickly became friends with the staff — then the…

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You shouldn’t have to drive through hell to find a car, founder says; Startup brings concierge service to online auto customers

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2022

Not all car buyers want to be in the driver’s seat — especially when attempting to navigate a disconnected roadmap of dealer-focused online marketplaces, said Eric Westphal. “Years ago, when I was looking for a car, I knew what I wanted and I couldn’t find it locally,” said Westphal, describing the inspiration behind Overland Park-based…

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‘Perfect for new mRNA vaccines’: Olathe startup targets biotech toward precision delivery

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2022

A sudden, then lingering, global pandemic put a spotlight on vaccine technology — with an Olathe startup now positioning itself at the leading edge of both pharmaceutical and vaccine applications for humans and their four-legged counterparts. “We manufacture and develop peptide delivery systems to help deliver drugs and vaccines safer and more effectively,” said Steve…

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Hy-Vee plans summit, pitch competition with $45K+ in investments for minority-, women-owned businesses

By Tommy Felts / August 26, 2022

A Midwest supermarket chain announced this week a new event to help showcase its commitment to advancing minority- and women-owned companies at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit is set for Sept. 27 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, courtesy of the Chiefs, and is expected to feature…

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KC Digital Drive awards $20K in digital literacy micro-grants; aims to boost digital inclusion

By Tommy Felts / August 26, 2022

KC Digital Drive announced today its first cohort of micro-grant recipients for “KC Goes Tech,” a new program that helps community organizations teach digital skills, such as how to use email and stay safe online, and it connects participants to funding for home internet and a computer they can take home after completing 15 hours…

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