All Stories

Shaken and stirred up, entrepreneurs battle Crossroads developer over liquor law

By Tommy Felts / May 12, 2016

Supporters of a new Kansas City liquor law hope it will put a stop to what they say are anti-competitive practices by a prominent Crossroads Arts District developer. The recently-passed measure — Ordinance No. 160281 — amends portions of city code to increase the number of property owners who can offer consent for liquor licenses…

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Kansas City near last place among startup hubs for digital economy readiness

By Tommy Felts / May 11, 2016

Kansas City’s poor performance in attracting talent and its limited access to investment capital puts it at a disadvantage for the forthcoming digital economy, a recent study found. The national “Innovation That Matters” study analyzed 25 large startup hubs’ readiness for the digital economy, noting that Kansas City has room for significant improvement with its…

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Raise a glass to entrepreneurship during 1Week KC’s 5th anniversary

By Tommy Felts / May 10, 2016

We honor all the best things in life — weddings, birthdays and Bar Mitzvahs to name a few  — why shouldn’t we celebrate entrepreneurship? In Kansas City, we have a day — or seven — for just that. 1Week KC, which aims to connect and celebrate area entrepreneurs through 10 events, will begin as any…

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Swappa marketplace Ben Edwards

Swappa re-homes millions worth of smartphones

By Tommy Felts / May 10, 2016

About 90 million Americans say they swap out their smartphone every two years, according to a 2015 Gallup study. That means every day about 123,000 used smartphones either find a new owner or a dark home in a drawer, frittering away their value. But one Kansas City startup is already helping thousands of used-smartphone owners…

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Regional Roundup

Amazon’s delivery backlash and 800 robots descend on St. Louis

By Tommy Felts / May 6, 2016

In this week’s roundup of watercooler talk from the region’s startup hubs, we have the dish on Amazon’s digital divide backpedaling, St. Louis’ international robotics competition and Denver’s vibrant city culture. Check out more in this series here.a ChicagoInno: Amid controversy, Amazon is finally bringing same-day delivery to the South Side And the backpedaling continues.…

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How Pipeline CEO Joni Cobb revitalized her waning democratic optimism

By Tommy Felts / May 6, 2016

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone.   E=R. Have you seen this sticker on cars over the years? It’s the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s campaign during the Great Recession, meaning “Entrepreneurship = Recovery.” It was really a time of “push” for our political structure — and our communities in…

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Kansas City streetcar kickoff syncs with Smart City launch

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2016

It’s poised to be a momentous week for Kansas City infrastructure. In addition to the Friday launch of the much-anticipated Kansas City streetcar line, the City of Fountains has officially kicked off operations of its smart city framework. The $15.7 million public-private project aims to transform Kansas City’s downtown into a living lab of Wi-Fi…

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Events Preview: #TimeToRideKC

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2016

There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW   SMCKC May Breakfast When: May 6 @ 7:30 am – 9:00 am Where: Grand Street Cafe Join us for a presentation…

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Integrated Roadways smart pavement kicks ‘dumb roads’ to the curb

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2016

The future of smart infrastructure appears to be budding in the City of Fountains. Kansas City-based Integrated Roadways recently secured a U.S. patent for its “smart pavement” that transforms humdrum roads into the network for the mobile Internet of Things. The smart pavement system features embedded components that provide connected cars wireless connectivity on roads,…

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Local firm JobShakers scores Mid-America Angel dollars

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2016

JobShakers, a tech startup offering employee referral software, recently raised local capital to fuel its development and sales channels.  The Shawnee Mission-based company announced Thursday that it closed on a $265,000 seed investment from the Mid-America Angels Investment Network. The new injection of funds brings JobShakers’ total amount raised to $465,000. “Having completed several months of…

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