Posts by Tommy Felts
LaunchKC invested in this founder’s vision; now she’s helping the grants competition boost KC’s startup scene
Editor’s note: LaunchKC — a longstanding initiative from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the Downtown Council — annual funds six to seven companies through its popular fall grants competition. Winning members of the 2025 LaunchKC cohort are set to be announced at a LaunchKC Liftoff event Nov. 19 at J. Rieger &…
Read MoreIt’s OK to open with joy: How two moms’ dreams just launched twin shops on Brookside-Waldo border
Two women, longtime friends, have similar entrepreneur origin stories. Now they have side-by-side shops in a bustling neighborhood shopping district. The twin storefronts — Bramble & Stem led by Katherine (Brambl) Taylor; and Blue Sky Art + Home from hometown artist Leslie Beck — come as the mothers-turned-business owners pivot from freelancing to full-time entrepreneurship.…
Read MoreTiki Taco plans to double its restaurant count in 2025, starting at one busy Olathe corner
A rapidly scaling taco spot with a trio of locations across the metro is adding an Olathe restaurant this March. Four more Kansas City-area eateries are already in the works with the partners at Tiki Taco hungry for regional expansion — even if it isn’t yet on the table. “I’m stoked,” said Richard Wiles, one…
Read More$11.2M+ awarded: 53 orgs tapped for first-ever tranche of Kauffman capacity building grants
A new grantmaking strategy from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is manifesting through an inaugural round of funding to local and outside organizations whose work supports the priorities of college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship. The Kauffman Foundation on Monday announced its first tranche of grants — totaling more than $11.2…
Read MoreKansas City company becomes the gameday go-to collaborator for celebrity-jammed events
Teaming up with the Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation for events — like the recent Kelce Car Jam in the Crossroads — is an incredible opportunity for Kansas City’s Platinum XP to showcase its capabilities and build a reputation as a top creative collaborator, said Lauren Rios. “Platinum XP has the opportunity to work with many…
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