Posts by Tommy Felts
$4M investment powers Daupler hiring, expansion as startup scales into new verticals
A newly announced funding round for Daupler positions one of Kansas City’s top startups as “well-resourced and hiring like crazy” amid expansion plans and rapid entry into new markets, said CEO John Bertrand. The $4 million investment — led by San Francisco-based Burnt Island Ventures with participation from Revolution Fund, Runway Venture Partners, Knoll Ventures, and…
Read More$250K in matching funds brings Prospect Urban Eatery free culinary training closer to boil
Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News, though this story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. A quarter-million-dollar grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expected to push The Prospect KC into operational scale in the months ahead, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant. News of the…
Read MoreMindSport gains traction from Olympic-level athletes as founder turns his memoir into documentary
The world of athletics has become more in tune with the importance of mental fitness, mindfulness and the impact both have on athletic performance, said Ryan Stock. “With the pandemic, obviously that shut down athletics across the board. It added a ton of stress, anxiety [and] frustration for athletes of all levels. Athletics serves as…
Read MoreHow a KC mom and her 12-year-old co-founder are rewriting the book on entrepreneurship
Guiding young people through the ins and outs of entrepreneurship is a family affair for Tovah Tanner, a metro woman on a mission to create a Kansas City that thinks critically, holds values, and possesses life skills that build lasting wealth. “My son, Madden Tanner, is our co-founder. He’s 12 years old,” Tanner said, recalling…
Read MoreCrafted within hip hop culture, Black-owned KC cannabis brand hopes to reshape a flowering industry
It isn’t enough to be first, Ronald Rice said, announcing Franklin’s Stash House’s entry into Greenlight stores — a move that sees the Kansas City cannabis company become the first Black-owned brand sold at a dispensary in the state. “While this deal represents a big milestone in the evolution of Missouri’s cannabis industry, the legacy of…
Read More

