Funding

Maxfield Kaniger, Kanbe's Market

Kanbe’s Markets selected for $30K in marketing services from surging Crux KC team

By Tommy Felts / January 26, 2022

Kanbe’s Markets is expected to harvest boosted visibility and functionality thanks to a newly announced donation of $30,000 in pro bono marketing services from one of Kansas City’s fastest-growing agencies. Crux KC selected the nonprofit for its annual “Crux for a Cause” initiative, which is expected to provide an entire year of services from a…

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Aishah Augusta-Parham, SEPOW

Yelp for DEI: New tech gives public a tool to share discrimination concerns in real-time, empowers companies to monitor, improve

By Tommy Felts / January 25, 2022

Aishah Augusta-Parham’s tech platform has a goal rooted in impact: help business owners become more mindful of diversity, equity, inclusion efforts in their day-to-day operations — better ensuring their customers do business with companies and brands that embody shared values.  “We are the Yelp of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Augusta-Parham said, detailing the mission behind…

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Arash Ferdowsi, co-founder of Dropbox

Return on investment: Why the co-founder of tech giant Dropbox just donated $500K to Blue Valley schools

By Tommy Felts / January 21, 2022

Blue Valley schools, teachers, and students are expected to benefit greatly from a newly announced fund launched by the homegrown Johnson County tech entrepreneur who later co-founded the cloud storage giant Dropbox. Arash Ferdowsi, a 2004 graduate of Blue Valley Northwest High School, has put up $500,000 to launch the Arash Ferdowsi Fund, which benefits…

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Graham Krizek, Voltage

Voltage charges ahead with $6M seed round in quest to ‘fast-track a Bitcoin standard’

By Tommy Felts / January 20, 2022

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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…

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Charon Thompson and Dan Smith, The Porter House KC

Porter House KC’s new ‘Alchemy Sandbox’ grants 20 main street businesses with up to $5K each

By Tommy Felts / January 18, 2022

A newly launched program by The Porter House KC is aimed at providing small business owners with as much as $5,000 for their back office, equipment cost, rental assistance or general system needs, detailed Dan Smith.  “We’re really excited about this Alchemy Sandbox program. ‘Alchemy’ is a word that just kept coming up at the…

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