All Stories

MTC’s spring $1.4M investment cycle loops Facility Ally, DevStride into equity deals 

By Tommy Felts / May 8, 2024

Two Kansas City startups are among a handful of Missouri companies receiving a collective $1.4 million in investment allocations through a state-sponsored venture capital program. Facility Ally, led by serial entrepreneur Luke Wade; and DevStride, co-founded by Phil Reynolds, Chastin Reynolds, Aaron Saloff and Kujtim Hoxha; must now complete the Missouri Technology Corporation’s due diligence process…

Read More >

Kauffman CEO: Foundation’s reset aligns Mr. K’s intent with KC’s needs of the moment

By Tommy Felts / May 8, 2024

A recently announced strategy refresh for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will drive the organization’s collective impact in the community — honoring the vision of its namesake while recognizing the challenges Kansas City faces today, said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace. “Mr. K had very distinct philosophies and ideas around how he wanted this work done,” explained…

Read More >

Block by block: Prototype builds startup’s housing vision where everyone can afford their own castle

By Tommy Felts / May 7, 2024

A mock home facade project on the grounds of Kansas City’s historic Workhouse Castle serves as a proof point for Godfrey Riddle’s rebooted Civic Saint — a social venture built on compressed earth blocks as its key to affordable, sustainable housing. “CEBs (compressed earth blocks) are great for Kansas City, because non-expansive sandy clay soil…

Read More >

Resource revival: Digital Inclusion Fund relaunches with initial grants focused on devices

By Tommy Felts / May 7, 2024

Kansas Citians can’t upgrade skills or devices they don’t already have, said organizers of a newly relaunched Digital Inclusion Fund — emphasizing a need to attack the metro’s digital divide at the infrastructure level. The fund is set to award up to $250,000 to 501(c)(3) public charities (including schools and churches) or governmental entities across…

Read More >

New deal with lightwell keeps WeWork in Kansas City after closing Corrigan Station space

By Tommy Felts / May 7, 2024

A freshly negotiated lease agreement with the developer behind the lightwell building in downtown Kansas City means WeWork will continue its two-floor coworking and flexible office space operation in the heart of the city’s central business district. WeWork has officially completed its lease rationalization with the assumption of its lightwell location contract, the company said…

Read More >

Meet the founder distilling greatness (and fusion flavors) into Kansas’ first Black-owned vodka brand 

By Tommy Felts / May 3, 2024

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  WICHITA — Greatness isn’t given; it’s earned, said Troy Brooks. But it comes one step at a time, and not without its challenges, he said. The entrepreneur behind Kansas’ first Black-owned…

Read More >

Startup gives fans real ownership in emerging athletes; investing in talent before they make it big

By Tommy Felts / May 3, 2024

Just as investors can put their money in Google or Apple, Parker Graham wants sports enthusiasts to invest in the next Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce, he shared. Along with co-founder and fellow Oklahoma State football alum Yves Batoba, the Kansas City-based serial entrepreneur, Pipeline fellow, and founder of Finotta has now launched Vestible —…

Read More >

Startup Crawl returns June 14; here’s where you’ll discover dozens of innovators shaping a new KC

By Tommy Felts / May 3, 2024

Sneakers and sunscreen are recommended as Startup Crawl makes its way back to the Kansas City Power & Light District this summer. The annual gathering of startups will return the evening of June 14 to three locations across the entertainment district, Startland News announced this week. Organizers expect to reveal the band lineups for two…

Read More >

This talent agent built her KC roster by focusing on athletes’ off-the-field lives; now recent Chiefs’ trades are taking her to new markets

By Tommy Felts / May 2, 2024

Knowing the whole athlete — not just who they are on the field — is a key strategy within the Gold Griff Athlete Agency playbook, shared Amanda Carlo. Carlo launched her own talent management agency and brand builder in 2022 after more than a decade of experience in marketing and professional sports, including five years…

Read More >

Tesseract Ventures developing SWARM drone technology for US Special Operations Forces

By Tommy Felts / May 2, 2024

A just-announced contract with the U.S. military will fund the development of an Overland Park company’s next-generation warfare drone, said founder and robotics technologist John Boucard. The SWARM (Special Warfighter Assistive Robotic Machine) is set to revolutionize military operations by offering a new, much-needed capability: a highly versatile nano drone equipped with smart payload and…

Read More >
1MC-Digital-Attend-2460x318px-v1
Founders-Club-Banner-Ad-2

Join Founder's Club – Support Our Mission

Enjoy access to our email newsletter, members only Slack community, exclusive events and other member perks.