Funding

Purina prize earns KC startup a $25K treat in its bid to help foster pets of abuse survivors without safe homes

By Tommy Felts / January 9, 2024

ST. LOUIS — As a finalist for Purina’s 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize, Kansas City-built BestyBnB is expected to receive $25,000 and support from the pet care leader as the startup’s co-founders work to grow their business in a $136.8 billion industry. A $25,000 grand prize is on the line this spring. “At Purina, our…

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Just funded: Meet nine innovative startups earning critical early funding from Digital Sandbox KC

By Tommy Felts / January 9, 2024

Proof-of-concept funding from Digital Sandbox KC comes at a pivotal moment for Noonan Caddie, said Matt Williams, detailing plans to accelerate his startup’s technology with the program’s support. “This funding will be instrumental in transforming our MVP into a fully-fledged commercial product, accelerating our speed to market significantly,” said Williams, CEO and co-founder of Noonan,…

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Anchor Island pours into coffee shop’s potential with unique investment round

By Tommy Felts / December 19, 2023

A crowd-funded investment opportunity through HoneyComb Credit would allow customers to help a Troost Avenue coffee shop enhance its kitchen equipment and expand the Anchor Island Coffee brand’s popular menu. Franchising and a liquor license could also be on the horizon. “We need support for the vision that we have, the product we serve, and…

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Ingredients in your burrito bowl could be grown by agbots; Chipotle’s $50M venture fund wraps investment in Kansas robotics startup

By Tommy Felts / December 19, 2023

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  [divide] A minority investment from Chipotle Mexican Grill’s $50 million Cultivate Next venture fund is expected to help bring a Kansas tech company’s autonomous weeding robots into the fold as…

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Porter House KC earns $400K in renewed support for inclusive entrepreneurship, retail incubator 

By Tommy Felts / December 1, 2023

Support from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation is expected to help The Porter House KC make good on its founders’ promise to help emerging entrepreneurs in their community get their promising ventures off the ground, said Dan Smith. “Like many of the small business owners that we encounter, we started our organization based on a need…

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