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Mitch Case, More Than A Meal, talks with Deb North, Yes! Athletics, during the Chamber's Small Business Showcase at Union Station

Three-way tie: Public vote mixes ‘Fan Favorite’ small business honors between meals and more

By Tommy Felts / April 27, 2022

A trio of Kansas City small businesses is sharing the Honeywell Fan Favorite Award this week after wowing the public during the Chamber’s recent candidate showcase at Union Station. “The rules can be bent,” said Eric Wollerman, president of Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, announcing the three-way tie in the lead-up to the Greater Kansas…

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Avatar for hire (in a few years): Gamified career platform helps kids explore their future in the workforce

By Tommy Felts / April 26, 2022

It’s a powerful question asked in classrooms every day, Jessica Munoz Valerio said, recalling her own experience with the common prompt and how tapping into and gamifying it could change lives.  “When my daughter was young — as early as 5 years old — she got asked, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’”she…

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Sandy Kemper, C2FO

C2FO helped women-, minority-owned biz access nearly $2B in 2021 alone; why that slice of $200B is set to grow as company approaches $1T funded

By Tommy Felts / April 26, 2022

Customers of C2FO have accessed more than $200 billion in working capital, the company announced, touting its wide-ranging successes and highlighting pandemic-era growth that has solidified its place as a world leader in the financing space — and a pace-setter for deploying capital to underserved businesses.  “From Day 1, C2FO has worked to fill the…

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BIOLO hits the scoreboard at Children's Mercy Park

Sporting KC teams with homegrown company to bring biodegradable straws to the Cauldron

By Tommy Felts / April 26, 2022

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday a multi-year partnership with BIOLO as the official home compostable straw of Sporting Sustainability. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Kansas City, BIOLO manufactures bags, mailers and straws that are proudly made in the USA with Nodax – a revolutionary polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer certified to biodegrade in soil, marine and…

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Satya Mishra and Raj Singh, co-founders of WayLit

Missouri startup wants to make it easier for HR to fill tech gap with foreign nationals; its immigration management software just got funded

By Tommy Felts / April 26, 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. ST.…

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Jackie Nguyen, Cafe Cà Phê; Jill and Justin Bertelsen, Bertelsen Education and Crib Coaching; and Risa Stein, SeeInMe

UMKC’s pitch competition showcases ‘real people’ solving real problems with $88K up for grabs

By Tommy Felts / April 25, 2022

Seven ventures remain in a popular regional business challenge that culminates this week with $88,000 in prizes on the line. Many of the competitors: no strangers to the pitch stage. Finalist presentations in the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge are planned for in-person Friday afternoon, followed by an awards ceremony at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall.…

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Ludo's Shuffleboard Bar

Take a peek down Ludo’s lanes before Made in KC’s new shuffleboard bar opens in Midtown

By Tommy Felts / April 23, 2022

When the team at Made in KC moved the local-first retailer’s flagship shop to Martini Corner in spring 2021, they immediately had a vision for what the multi-concept building could entertain, said Keith Bradley.  The vision: a retro shuffleboard bar.  “The idea for a shuffleboard bar sparked from two places. One was the desire we…

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Kiffany Bosserman, owner of Cottontale and Cookies and Creamery, speaks with Shakia Webb, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, during the Chamber's Small Business Showcase at Union Station

Entrepreneurs pack Union Station as Chamber showcases diversity of KC’s small biz scene

By Tommy Felts / April 22, 2022

Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. A diverse cross-section of Kansas City small business owners filled the Grand Hall at Union Station with energy and enthusiasm Thursday, Vicky Kulikov said, noting a significant…

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Imagine Downtown KC South Loop reimagination

KC’s own $160M ‘urban oasis’ park: Private funders greenlit to put a 5.5-acre lid over I-670

By Tommy Felts / April 22, 2022

Private backers have put up critical funding needed to begin reimagining the South Loop Link — bringing the long-dreamed about project closer to reality than ever before.  Civic leaders from across the region gathered Friday to announce a verbal commitment from funders and local property owners — including Lowes’ Hotel & Co. — who will finance the engineering…

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Clark Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs

Horizon event set for in-person return, amplifying region’s growth while pushing for more equity

By Tommy Felts / April 21, 2022

Kansas City is on the rise — and organizers of KC Rising’s annual Horizon event want curious citizens to come see such growth for themselves.  “Horizon is a diverse gathering that isn’t tied to a single organization but owned by the region. … It is a celebration of all of us,” said Meryl Dillman, program manager,…

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