All Stories

Brody Dorland and Brock Stechman, DivvyHQ

DivvyHQ proves ‘unmatched in market’ with top award now spanning four consecutive wins

By Tommy Felts / December 19, 2019

Voted the No. 1 content marketing tool for the fourth straight year, DivvyHQ plans to capitalize on its momentum to deliver new features and functionality in 2020, said co-founders Brock Stechman and Brody Dorland.  “When we won [the honor] the first year, obviously it was a huge surprise. We were so pumped. But then we…

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Bungii

Startups to Watch, Innovation Exchange returning; Startland News announces 2020 events calendar

By Tommy Felts / December 17, 2019

Startland News’ most popular annual and monthly events are set to return in 2020, Austin Barnes said Tuesday, releasing a full calendar of events for the new year. “In the last six months of 2019, Innovation Exchange drew its biggest crowds since its return from hiatus in March 2018,” said Barnes, programming director for Startland…

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Jeff Rohr and Rachel Smith, SquareOffs

Village veteran SquareOffs launches long-awaited social opinion site, tops $2M+ in funding

By Tommy Felts / December 17, 2019

SquareOffs hopes its new consumer-facing destination website — showcasing interactive “microdebates” aggregated across a growing network of publishers and influencers — moves digital conversations back to civility. A fresh round of funding will help, said Jeff Rohr. “We are all tired of the toxicity that fills our social media feeds and dominates comments at the bottom…

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Ben Nelson, Huck Adventures

Startup Road Trip: Huck Adventures goes west, using AI to turn outdoors into a social setting

By Tommy Felts / December 17, 2019

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. BOULDER,…

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Laura Manivong, Fattyhead Keto Crust

Keto crust on the rise: Fattyhead bakes ingredients for expansion into new distribution deals

By Tommy Felts / December 14, 2019

Laura Manivong is feeding a hunger for keto diet-friendly pizza crusts that already stretches to freezer aisles across the metro — with stores and distributors salivating for more. “Out of the blue, I just called Sam Paris and Paris Brothers,”  Manivong, founder and CEO of Fattyhead Keto Crust, said of how a recent distribution deal…

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Victor Hwang, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Victor Hwang’s parting message to Kauffman, KC and beyond: ‘We make a powerful tribe’

By Tommy Felts / December 13, 2019

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Victor Hwang is the outgoing vice president of entrepreneurship at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Click here to read more about his planned departure from the leading ecosystem building organization. Today is my last day in the office, as I transition out of…

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Isaac Collins, Yogurtini

Pivoting back to a full-time franchise hustle: ‘Worst thing you can do is stop,’ Yogurtini owner says

By Tommy Felts / December 12, 2019

Running a franchise can require as much passion and perseverance as any other entrepreneurial endeavor — including those in the startup space, said Isaac Collins. Would-be business owners shouldn’t get caught up in the jargon of what is and isn’t “real” hustle when trying to craft a livelihood for themselves or their families, he said. A…

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Bimini Animal Health

Top universities, incentives lure online pet supplements startup to brick-and-mortar operation in an unexpected metro

By Tommy Felts / December 12, 2019

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. TOPEKA…

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Nathan Kurtz, Brush Creek Partners; Drew Solomon, Economic Development Council of Kansas City, Missouri; Tommy Wilson and Mike Hurd, Downtown Council of Kansas City

LaunchKC, Brush Creek unveil InsureTech accelerator led by longtime startup advocate

By Tommy Felts / December 11, 2019

The latest LaunchKC-powered industry accelerator aims to bring a new wave of technology Kansas City’s insurance community, said Nathan Kurtz. “There’s a rich heritage of insurance in Kansas City,” said Kurtz, COO of Brush Creek Partners, announcing the bcp tech InsurTech Accelerator, which teams Brush Creek with TechAssure and LaunchKC. “Brush Creek’s purpose is to…

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Don Peterson, Launch Health demo day

Packed demo day at Alamo Drafthouse caps inaugural Launch Health Accelerator 

By Tommy Felts / December 10, 2019

More than 200 investors and entrepreneurs attended the recent Demo Day for the Launch Health Accelerator powered by Nueterra Capital. Demo Day marked the conclusion of the 75-day accelerator and featured presentation pitches from each of the six cohort companies.  After a short networking reception in the Chesterfield bar inside the Alamo Drafthouse Kansas City,…

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