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Melissa Vincent, Pipeline Entrepreneurs, and Donald Hawkins, Kinly, at the 2022 Pipeline Innovators gala

Pipeline Innovators gala adds glamour, top honors back into the mix for celebration of fellows 

By Tommy Felts / May 21, 2022

A remixed Pipeline Innovators gala honored veteran and emerging fellows from within the elite startup founder network Friday — returning the full live celebration to a stage in Kansas City for the first time since 2018 and crowning two new Innovator of the Year recipients. Marking the first Innovators gala for Pipeline executive director Melissa…

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Saroj Gupta, MyDigiRecords, pitching at the Futures Group during the Comeback KC Ventures Innovation Showcase

When a global health crisis exposed ‘broken’ systems, these KC startups jabbed back

By Tommy Felts / May 21, 2022

Patients need easier access to their medical records, said Saroj Gupta, stressing the life-threatening outcomes for individuals who might miss important vaccinations — or erroneously obtain multiple doses — because of poor or hard-to-find documentation. “We call ourselves a developed country, but our healthcare system is so broken,” said Saroj Gupta, the founder and CEO…

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Clarence Tan and Edna Martinson, Boddle Learning

AT&T deal brings head-to-head ‘Pet Battles’ to Boddle in a first for the KC-made edtech app

By Tommy Felts / May 20, 2022

A new collaboration between Boddle Learning and AT&T hopes to keep students plugged into learning long after they’ve unplugged from the classroom.  “With summer break quickly approaching, it’s important to help kids maintain knowledge outside of the classroom,” AT&T said in a release announcing its teamed up with Tulsa-based, Kansas City-born Boddle to introduce new…

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Gov. Mike Parson, R-Missouri, speaks at Union Station during the announcement of Meta's new $800 million data center in Kansas City

Budget bump to $31M would help MTC attack its 16-point plan for Missouri entrepreneurs; funding fate rests with governor

By Tommy Felts / May 20, 2022

A key funder of initiatives like Digital Sandbox KC and LaunchKC could see its own fortunes rise if Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs a budget that includes $31 million to boost technology, entrepreneurship and innovation efforts in the state. The Missouri legislature last week passed a budget that would dramatically up the Missouri Technology Corporation’s…

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Danielle DuPree, Ennovation Center

Ennovation Center taps hometown entrepreneur to lead Independence-based resource hub

By Tommy Felts / May 20, 2022

Support is in place for entrepreneurs looking for customized services, the Ennovation Center said Friday, announcing a new executive director already at work at the Independence-based community resource. “I love helping entrepreneurs grow their business,” said Danielle DuPree, who began her role leading the Ennovation Center in April. “My passion lies in working with small…

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Quest Moffat, Kadogo

Meet the finalists: KC tech startups competing to boost health, vibrancy of diverse communities

By Tommy Felts / May 17, 2022

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…

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Armondo Alvarez and Justine Dale Gelbolinga

Will climate change rob me of being a parent? Anxious Millennials, Gen Z question adding more children to Earth

By Tommy Felts / May 17, 2022

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series on climate change in the Kansas City region produced by the KC Media Collective to support and enhance local journalism so every person in Kansas City can lead a richer life. Members of the KC Media Collective are KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, Missouri Business…

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Military Gaming League; photo courtesy of Generation Esports

KC esports startup acquires Military Gaming League, pledging support to players facing PTSD, mental health struggles 

By Tommy Felts / May 16, 2022

Generation Esports has deployed a summer of scale, announcing Monday its acquisition of the Military Gaming League (MGL) — stationing the Kansas City-based startup’s mission to unite gamers in new, high-demand territory.  “We knew there was something special about it that we just had to be a part of,” said Mason Mullenioux, co-founder and CEO of…

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Willy Schlacks, Scale, EquipmentShare

‘We have to allow for failure,’ says serial entrepreneur; Scale announces 7 startups in second cohort

By Tommy Felts / May 14, 2022

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. COLUMBIA,…

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Comeback KC Ventures fellows

Comeback KC Ventures adds 9 more fellows to accelerate rapid-response health innovations

By Tommy Felts / May 12, 2022

A global pandemic exposed both new challenges and the potential for disruptive solutions — putting Kansas City entrepreneurs at the forefront of rapid-fire change in the wake of an ongoing health crisis, said organizers of Comeback KC Ventures. Nine additional Kansas City tech startups are joining the fellowship program, its leaders said Wednesday, expanding upon…

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