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A Johnson County medical device company announced Thursday the closing of an additional $12 million tranche of Series A financing — advancing the startup’s tech toward clinical study and commercialization with the backing of a leading Kansas City real estate developer. “We are thrilled to close this round of financing with strong support from existing investors…
As suicide rates among U.S. military service members continue to rise, Columbia-based Healium is doubling down on its mission to make mental fitness tools more accessible. “It’s an honor to serve these service members and their families who’ve sacrificed in ways we cannot imagine,” Sarah Hill, founder and CEO, told Startland News in announcing a…
An independent film shot on Missouri’s Lake Lotawana is earning premier attention — becoming the world’s first piece of cinema to sell on the blockchain, potentially overhauling the way Hollywood connects with moviegoers, its creators said. “One thing that I’m very passionate about in life is cinema,” said Trevor Hawkins, the Emmy-winning local filmmaker who wrote…
Editor’s note: This story is sponsored and was produced by Forward Cities, a non-financial partner of Startland News and a national nonprofit that is managing the implementation of the ESHIP Communities program as a grantee of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Any opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. Pedro Morales, owner…
Amid a year of pandemic-prompted chaos in the business community, entrepreneurs forged ahead like rarely before seen, according to the UMKC Innovation Center’s new impact report, which details outcomes of the Kansas City-based resource network’s programming opportunities. “These entrepreneurs and leaders are our clients, our inspiration and our hope,” said Maria Meyers, executive director at…
Jayaun Smith spent his free time as a kid watching “Iron Chef America” and creating his own unique recipes with what was available, he shared — noting it didn’t take him long to fall in love with cooking. “I spent a lot of time alone growing up,” recalled the 25-year-old chef, who now leads the…
Black, curvy and a certified yogi: How Mikita Burton is breaking down barriers with Yoga on the Vine
Yoga is meant to be inclusive, said Mikita Burton, even if that sentiment stretches the modern American picture of who practices yoga. “I’m a curvier girl. I’m African American — that’s just not the typical demographic for yoga,” explained Burton, who has been a certified yoga instructor for the past five years. “My hope is…
Editor’s note: New in KC is an ongoing profile series that highlights newly relocated members of the Kansas City startup community, their reasons for a change of scenery, and what they’ve found so far in KC. Click here to read more New in KC profiles. The Midwest is home, said Chris Rehkamp. “That’s where I feel like I’m really…
A massive round of Series B funding will boost Replica’s data platform as it changes how cities are planned and operated — especially in the wake of a global pandemic and a renewed emphasis on infrastructure spending from the federal level down, said Nick Bowden. The $41 million round was led by Founders Fund and…
The timing is perfect for a cross-cultural cannabis company, Michael Wilson said Tuesday, announcing the 4/20 launch of Franklin’s Stash House, a hemp blunt maker headquartered near the Crossroads. “It’s a lifestyle brand that represents a segment of the culture that doesn’t get enough attention, trying to capture our creative energy in a cool form…