All Stories

LaunchKC finalists

LaunchKC finalists revealed: Kansas City newsmakers and startup stars in the making

By Tommy Felts / September 5, 2018

A dozen Kansas City tech entrepreneurs are set to compete next month against a mix of firms from across the country — and one startup from Israel — in arguably the city’s most elite and hotly anticipated pitch event of the year. LaunchKC announced its 20 finalists Tuesday — each vying for their piece of…

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“Buddha was a Baller"

‘Buddha was a Baller’ seeks to awaken success without overthinking, Mindsport founder says

By Tommy Felts / August 31, 2018

Buddha had the mind of an athlete, said Ryan Stock. The spiritual sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded inspired Stock, creator of the MindSport app and a former basketball coach, to put his own thoughts to paper. His book, “Buddha was a Baller,” is set for release Oct. 28, the Kansas City entrepreneur said.…

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2019 fellowship class

Pipeline opens applications for 2019 fellowship class, reveals three-city 1MC pitch event

By Tommy Felts / August 31, 2018

An application for Pipeline’s 2019 fellowship class isn’t just about next year, said Joni Cobb — it’s an opportunity for a lifetime of support from the organization’s network of developing and top-tier entrepreneurs. “Pipeline is available for life for each entrepreneur who successfully completes the fellowship year,” said Cobb, president and CEO of Pipeline, in…

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Report: Black women’s impact overlooked in KC startup community and beyond

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2018

Raise a hand if you know that black women have created more than 1 million jobs, Dell Gines challenged. A statistics-based question –– frequently answered with an expected, yet glacial silence ––  acknowledges an unprecedented phenomenon in both the small business community and within the confines of the often-exclusive startup ecosystem, said Gines, Federal Reserve…

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Top VC-Backed Companies celebration

‘Class reunion’ collides with newer generation at Top VC-Backed Companies celebration (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2018

It was a night of old school collisions, said Adam Arredondo, bringing together founders, executives, investors and a curated group of younger startup leaders for Startland’s Top VC-Backed Companies celebration. “The energy in the room was palpable. Many people said it felt like a class reunion, which in a way it was,” added Arredondo, CEO…

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Techweek KC addition: Smart City Innovation Workshop builds bottom-up brainstorming

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2018

Kansas City residents, entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and city officials plan to come together during the Smart City Innovation Workshop at Techweek KC to brainstorm solutions to day-to-day challenges using smart technology. The workshop pulls into Union Station Oct. 8 — the first day of Techweek KC, which runs through Oct. 12 and is presented by…

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HerSpace

Plexpod offers sneak peek at new women-centric Herspace concept (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2018

Herspace — a freshly renovated wing at Plexpod Westport Commons, part of the KC-based Plexpod coworking community — is designed for women, said Gerald Smith, and it’s a long time coming. “This is front and center. It isn’t tucked away in some far away corner of an upper floor,” said Smith, noting 90 percent of…

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EDZ Systems

Former DST execs launch EDZ Systems tool to centralize law office data

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2018

A quartet of former DST Systems executives who went on to launch EDZ Systems are hoping to streamline law offices’ operations with the help of their new software. The Overland Park-based startup recently released Intelligent RMS, a software platform designed to centralize law firms’ and corporate legal departments’ data, affording clients more strategic information, said…

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Make48

KC-based Make48 team films Season 3 at Baltimore makerspace

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2018

Editor’s note: Nick Ward-Bopp is a volunteer tool tech for Make48, and co-runs the MakerSpace at the Johnson County Library, helping the community use tools for digital fabrication like 3D printers and laser cutters. He spends his nights and weekends co-running Maker Village, a small wood and metal shop in Midtown Kansas City that builds…

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Blake Miller and Ashley Z. Hand, "The Future of Living"

Blake Miller’s ‘Future of Living’ podcast envisions a world changed by startups, tech, gig economy

By Tommy Felts / August 27, 2018

The future is now, said Blake Miller, and it’s streaming. Kansas City IoT tech firm Homebase’s founder and CEO recently launched a podcast — “The Future of Living” — aimed at uncovering what tomorrow holds for startups, small businesses, and curious citizens alike, he explained. “You’ve got smart cities, you’ve got smart buildings — the…

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