All Stories

Silicon Valley accelerator 500 Startups invests in KC tech firm

By Tommy Felts / February 9, 2017

A Kansas City firm planning to transform the world with its artificial intelligence tech recently landed in a highly-esteemed startup accelerator in Silicon Valley. Mycroft announced Wednesday that it’s in the latest cohort of 500 Startups, a global venture capital seed fund and startup accelerator that manages $200 million in assets and has invested in…

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Virtual reality field trips offer black history experiences for KC students

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2017

With backgrounds in tech, education and business, five women have joined forces to create technology-based educational experience to impart lessons on black culture. Last month, the V Form Alliance received a $19,000 grant from Mozilla Gigabit Community Fund to fund the group’s inaugural project: Virtual Realities in Culture: Explorations of the African Diaspora Project. With…

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KCMO creates live-viewing platform of smart city data

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2017

Officially launched about nine months ago, the Kansas City Smart City initiative has produced as much enthusiasm as it has technological possibilities. The $15.7 million public-private project — which has transformed Kansas City’s downtown into a lab of Wi-Fi connectivity on and around the 2.2-mile streetcar line — is now further empowering citizens. The City…

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Events Preview: Life Equals graduation, Coding & Cupcakes

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2017

There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Weekly Events Preview The Marketing Series: SEO Made Easy with Brandon Kenig When: Feb. 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Where: Sprint Accelerator…

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Animal tech startup FitBark fetches huge Australian pet insurer

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2017

Animal tech firm FitBark is headed Down Under thanks to its landing of a big Australian partner. The Kansas City-based company announced that it’s partnered with PetSure, Australia’s largest pet insurance underwriter to help launch its wearable dog activity tracker to the Aussie market. PetSure opens FitBark up to 360,000 policyholders, a network of 22…

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Kansas City hosting NIST national smart cities conference

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2017

Kansas City’s smart city creds are on the national stage. The National Institute of Standards and Technology selected Kansas City as the first city to host a national conference that encourages collaboration and establishes standards for smart cities. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Think Big Partners and the City of Kansas City, Mo. will host Global…

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With investors clamoring for more, Blooom raises $9.15 million

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2017

One of the area’s top startups, finance tech firm Blooom has landed a significant round of financing to accelerate its online tool to boost users’ retirement savings. The firm announced Monday that it raised $9.15 million in an oversubscribed Series B round that features some behemoths in finance tech investing. The round was co-led by…

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Celebrity Apprentice features Kansas City fitness startup OYO Fitness

By Tommy Felts / February 3, 2017

A trio of celebrities were briefly among the sales staff for a surging fitness tech firm in Kansas City. In a recent episode of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, musician Boy George, basketball hall-of-famer Lisa Leslie and former Queer Eye for the Straight Guy expert Carson Kressley helped sell for Kansas City-based OYO Fitness. OYO founder Paul…

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New effort aims to cultivate, connect SaaS salespeople in KC

By Tommy Felts / February 3, 2017

A champion of sales talent development in the Kansas City area is hoping to create a movement in Kansas City to help business development professionals learn from one another. Founded in 2016 by Mike Poledna, KC SaaS aims to provide networking and development opportunities for SaaS firms. In addition to hosting free panel conversations five…

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Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation startup growth

To cultivate area ecosystem, Kauffman launches ‘KC Connector’ project

By Tommy Felts / February 2, 2017

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is setting out on a mission to better connect people cultivating Kansas City’s entrepreneurial and education communities. The Kauffman Foundation is asking Kansas Citians to nominate the area’s unsung heroes” for its new Community Connector Project. Inspired by similar initiatives that have been implemented in Portland, Philadelphia and Louisville, the…

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