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Kauffman Foundation

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2018
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Code Ninjas

Code Ninjas uses karate format to punch into KC youth STEM scene

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2018

Students often want more than their schools can offer, said Jason Hansen, of Code Ninjas. For some, that’s competitive sports teams or specialty athletics, he said. Others yearn for greater STEM-based learning opportunities — like those offered at Hansen’s Leawood center. “It’s just like you might have a dance studio, or a baseball academy,” Hansen…

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Andrew Morgans, Marknology, Landlocked

Landlocked, Marknology startups ‘killing it on Amazon,’ KC founder says

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2018

Landlocked is a brand many Kansas Citians recognize on sight, founder Andrew Morgans said. Marknology is the behind-the-scenes engine that sells it. While his dual companies — an apparel startup known for its popular hybrid pennant tee and a bootstrapped digital marketing firm specializing in Amazon sales — complement one another, the pairing is an…

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LULA.life lula

Lula raises $420K, fueling expansion of home service offerings

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2018

A $420,000 funding round from Kansas City area investors will accelerate tech startup Lula to expand in Kansas City and soon two more large metros, CEO and founder Bo Lais said. The Overland Park-based firm is eyeing Phoenix and Dallas as its next service areas, but it first plans to focus on marketing its on-demand…

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April Boyd-Noronha

April Boyd-Noronha: 99 Prospect among coolest minority-owned KC STEM startups

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2018

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. My columns this month will feature four minority-owned STEM businesses in the Kansas City metro. The cool thing about each of these businesses? They include at least one (if not more) aspect of the STEM concept — science, technology, engineering, and math. To…

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Level Office, Kessler Building

Level Office puts coworking space on tap in former law building (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / February 2, 2018

Windows from the community coworking space in Level Office’s seven-floor Kessler Building offer an up-close view of the Jackson County Courthouse, Sprint Center and downtown Kansas City. That proximity to the 16th Circuit Court, the court of appeals and the Jackson County Detention Center makes Chicago-based Level Office a magnet for men and women in…

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Former Netchemia CEO, KC venture capitalist launch new fund for Midwest software firms

By Tommy Felts / February 1, 2018

Keith Harrington isn’t looking for hockey-stick growth companies. With the new fund he’s co-leading — Novel Growth Partners — Harrington wants to invest in small, steadily-growing tech companies in the Midwest. But instead of a traditional venture capital model, Novel is employing a revenue-based finance model that should appeal to more entrepreneurs, Harrington said. “We believe that…

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Cristle Reed, Heartshaped Clothing, 1 Million Cups

1 Million Cups celebrating black startups with all black founders, experts in February

By Tommy Felts / February 1, 2018

A lineup of all black presenters and experts at February’s 1 Million Cups events aims for exposure and awareness about Kansas City’s thriving community of black entrepreneurs, said Adrienne Haynes. “Many of these companies are not necessarily tech-based. They might not be at Plexpod or WeWork. Many of them have their own facilities — maybe…

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Listen: Behind the scenes interview with Hyperloop One exec on Missouri plan

By Tommy Felts / February 1, 2018

By now you’ve likely seen that Missouri is a top five favorite to land a Virgin Hyperloop One route. If built in Missouri, the tubular transportation system would move people from Kansas City to St. Louis in 30 minutes, creating a mega-region that combines the state’s biggest cities, said Dan Katz, director of global public…

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ScaleUP! KC class, 2018

ScaleUP! KC expands impact with 18 entrepreneurs in latest class

By Tommy Felts / January 31, 2018

In announcing its latest class, the ScaleUP! KC incubator embraced its track record of helping Kansas City entrepreneurs develop the business skills needed to take the next steps on their journeys. Now on its seventh cohort, the program has graduated 92 business owners, including startups like The Sundry, Ruby Jean’s Juicery, Cambrian Tech, H3 Enterprises…

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