Education

Teens tackle universal pain points: Junior Achievement competition pushes students to pitch biz ideas

By Tommy Felts / April 2, 2025

A new student innovation competition linked to Junior Achievement not only challenges Kansas City teens to develop business solutions for immediate real-world problems, said Will Bowler; fostering entrepreneurial thinking develops longer-term impacts. “This program empowers them,” said Bowler, a teacher at Olathe East High School, as students wrapped up Tuesday’s 3DE Innovators Showcase at the…

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Trio of early stage Kansas City startups tapped to join K-State Accelerator focused on boosting Kansas economy

By Tommy Felts / April 2, 2025

MANHATTAN, Kansas — Seven startups are expected to begin work this month within the K-State Accelerator, earning funds, training and resources to turn their concepts into successful Sunflower State ventures. Three of the selected companies hail from the Kansas City area, including dScribe AI; 4D Leaders; and Rebound Jerseys. The eight-week, virtual Center for Entrepreneurship…

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So you think you’re CEO material? UMKC’s ‘CEO Academy’ puts that ambition to the test

By Tommy Felts / March 19, 2025

Aspiring executives with an eye on the C-suite need to be ready well before the opportunity arises, said Dan Hesse, leaning on his years of past experience as president and CEO of Sprint. It’s not about just being the boss, he emphasized. “Of all the roles, that of the CEO is so different than any…

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How a toy car can recapture a moment (and put a little cash in this student’s pocket)

By Tommy Felts / March 14, 2025

Collecting toys is in Andrew Bates’ blood, the UMKC senior said — and now it’s in his wallet. A supply chain management student at the university, Bates was exposed to the hunt for nostalgia early, he said; his father was snagging Hot Wheels for him before Bates was born. “I was (slow) to embrace it,” the…

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Kauffman-backed tech coalition gains runway (and funding) to help fill KC’s talent pipeline, leader says

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2025

A new talent-focused coalition led by the KC Tech Council envisions a reality where all of Kansas City’s tech jobs can be filled by Kansas City, said Kara Lowe, unveiling new details of an initiative made possible by the Kauffman Foundation’s new “Collective Impact” funding pathway. KC Tech Council on Friday publicly announced its employer-led…

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