Posts by Tommy Felts
GXPI-led $3.25M deal pushes Kansas City IoT firm Pepper over $15M investment mark
Pepper topped $15 million in investments this week — adding to its ownership structure through a sizeable deal led by GXPI, the investment arm of Evergy. “This strategic investment by Evergy gives us a great partner in the retail electric utility industry where IoT is beginning to play a critical role,” said Scott Ford, CEO…
Read MoreNearly $5M remains in Kansas angel tax credits as Aug 31 deadline looms; startups urged to apply
The clock is ticking for Kansas angel tax credits to be awarded to growing startups in 2018, said Rachèll Rowand. “We are looking for innovative businesses in Kansas that are under five years old,” said Rowand, program manager for the Kansas Department of Commerce, which administers the state’s angel tax program. “The biotechnology industry is…
Read MoreStartland list reflects big wins across KC — but don’t get comfortable, warns founder
Kansas City has traction, said Davyeon Ross, but the city and its support network must keep the ball moving. “It’s impressive how much these startups and companies are contributing to the community and the economy,” said Ross co-founder and COO of ShotTracker, reacting to data within Startland’s 2018 list of Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies in…
Read MoreKansas-vs-Missouri investment record tied to state support for innovation, experts say
The Sunflower State appears to set itself apart based on trends indicated by Startland’s 2018 list of Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies in KC. But does Kansas really have the competitive edge? Kansas companies are on average two years older than Missouri companies; they’ve raised more than four times as much capital than their Missouri counterparts;…
Read MoreThink globally, invest locally: Are KC dollars worth more than outside capital?
Hometown capital is validating, said Darcy Howe, but it isn’t everything. Half of the firms in Startland’s 2018 list of Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies in Kansas City received 50 percent or more of their funding from KC investors — a promising indicator of local support that suggests to outside investors that a company is ready…
Read More