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A Cornerstone Award win for Plexpod is a recognition of the evolving nature of community and connections, said Gerald Smith. “When we set out to do the Plexpod Westport Commons project, from the beginning it was much more than just another coworking facility,” said Plexpod co-founder Smith. “We believed Kansas City needed a central hub…
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Kansas City’s brain gain grew at three times the rate of Chicago in 2017, according to a new report from the KC Tech Council. Isolated to tech jobs, the city’s pool of workers swelled by 11,000, the KC Tech Specs 2018 report said, though a shortage of skilled professionals remains. “The Kansas City tech industry…
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Merriam-based ShotTracker is fueling its global expansion via a large funding round featuring several high-profile investors. The sports tech company announced Wednesday that it raised a $10.4 million Series A financing round led by Ward.Ventures, NBA commissioner David Stern and two-time National League home run champion, Ryan Howard. The round also includes Greycroft, Elysian Ventures,…
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Who helped your business? Likely a future KCSourceLink All-Star. A celebration recognizing KCSourceLink’s 15 years as a top resource for entrepreneurs also will pay homage to the community builders who’ve made an impact through the organization’s Resource Partner Network. KCSourceLink is now taking nominations for 15 All-Star awards, which honor past and present partners. (Nominees…
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Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by WeWork Corrigan Station, a modern twist on Kansas City office space.Expertise requires experience, said Melissa Roberts. “I’ve had so many diverse roles and I’ve taken something from each of them,” the political…
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Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. High school-aged virtual reality enthusiasts from across Kansas City recently gathered for a VRoKCs hackathon at Bloch Venture Hub. I was invited to judge the teams, which each delved into VR — an emerging trend in STEM that essentially allows a user to…
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Editor’s note: Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” feature to highlight area entrepreneurial efforts to accelerate businesses or projects. If you or your startup is running a crowdfunding campaign, let us know by contacting news@startlandnews.com. Today’s featured campaign is from Wag-N-Bag, a product created by brothers Brad and Tyler Hull. Your name and…
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Warm sunlight bathes a future ceramics shop. A vintage Thomas Cusack Co. mural advertisement peeks from behind the plaster wall of an in-the-works photography space. Views from the second and third floors reveal a city skyline in creative transition. Amid the freshly hung drywall and still-curing, stained hardwood staircases, Tyler Enders steps quickly between rooms…
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For teenage entrepreneur Ernest Pereira, gaming is going small. The 18-year-old innovator is releasing a limited run of his retro game console, the Duinodrive, before shipping off to the Naval Academy in the summer. The Duinodrive — which can fit in the palm of your hand — comes in a kit that users assemble themselves…
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Editor’s note: Beth Ellyn McClendon is a seed-stage investor with board and advisory board experience. She previously worked in design and product management for Google Mapping, Android, YouTube, Cisco and Netscape. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. So, you’re planning a startup, you’ve got a good lawyer and now you’re thinking…
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