Posts by Tommy Felts
Meet the founder distilling greatness (and fusion flavors) into Kansas’ first Black-owned vodka brand
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 MoreStartup gives fans real ownership in emerging athletes; investing in talent before they make it big
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 MoreStartup Crawl returns June 14; here’s where you’ll discover dozens of innovators shaping a new KC
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 MoreThis talent agent built her KC roster by focusing on athletes’ off-the-field lives; now recent Chiefs’ trades are taking her to new markets
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 MoreTesseract Ventures developing SWARM drone technology for US Special Operations Forces
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…
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