Roz audits its path to $2.15M in early funding; how KC helped this AI startup scale its potential

A series of funding wins is boosting a Kansas City startup’s efforts to automate the most complex — and tedious — parts of compliance work, drawing from the co-founder’s own pain points and resources from a server-full of local entrepreneur support initiatives.  With $2.15 million in funding under its belt so far, Olathe-based Roz — which…

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KC GIFT launches ‘Vibe the City’ passport to showcase Black-owned arts, entertainment venues

A newly published mini-guide to Black-owned arts and entertainment venues across Kansas City is expected to push community members deeper into the metro’s rich Black business ecosystem, said Brandon Calloway, highlighting a range of cultural and nightlife destinations.   “Vibe the City” passports are available now at the G.I.F.T. Business Center at 5008 Prospect Ave.,…

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She scored music on Netflix and LA’s star-studded stages; now BodaciousThang is getting vulnerable in KC

When Cheyenne Jolene steps on stage in the shoes of her alter ego, the singer-songwriter’s voice carries both raw emotion and unapologetic truth. Performing as BodaciousThang, Jolene blends R&B, hip hop, rock, and soul into what she describes as “genre bending” music. Her songs are steeped in authenticity and storytelling, offering listeners intimate glimpses into…

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SNAP cuts are ‘worse than they look on paper’: Food access advocates warn shelves could go bare overnight

Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant doesn’t mince words about perceptions of the hungry Kansas Citians she serves daily through her award-winning culinary social venture. “These are the people who — if you listen to the rhetoric — are deemed ‘lazy,’” the founder of The Prospect KC’s NourishKC Community Kitchen told Startland News. “We know the narratives being…

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