Funding

Elango Thevar, Neer; photo by Lauren Pusateri

NEER heads to the Pacific (virtually) for $200K, climate change solutions accelerator

By Tommy Felts / October 6, 2020

An intensive, 10-month application process is paying off for NEER, as the Kansas City water management startup says aloha to a Hawaii-based accelerator and a significant funding infusion. Joining the ninth cohort of Elemental Excelerator in Honolulu is a boon for NEER, having just completed the gener8tor program in Wisconsin, said Elango Thevar, founder and…

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Chris Mathia, Innara Health

Timing ‘couldn’t be better’ for scaling Innara Health’s solution for preemies, CEO says

By Tommy Felts / September 30, 2020

One of Kansas City’s most under the radar startups is scaling up amid COVID-19 — thanks in part to a share of $250 thousand in non-dilutive funding from a Los Angeles-based accelerator and FDA sponsored pediatric device consortia. “When COVID hit, one of the things I took from that was, ‘When you’re not selling, your process better…

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Good Bitter Best

Fund Me, KC: Good Bitter Best hopes to mix cocktails with community, pivots to add virtual bartender

By Tommy Felts / September 22, 2020

Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs — like Jennifer Agnew’s Good Bitter Best campaign — to share their crowdfunding stories to gain a little help from their supporters. Who are you? I am Jennifer Agnew, public school…

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Tonderai Kambarami, Merwan Abdelmajeed and Cameron Knight, Air Traffic Awareness

Cash in the tank: Meet 8 tech startups vying for on-the-spot funding at Pure Pitch Rally

By Tommy Felts / September 22, 2020

From gig economy and healthcare companies to startups attacking supply chain concerns, the solutions to today’s challenges come from Kansas City’s up-and-coming innovators, said Karen Fenaroli, announcing the eight competitors for this fall’s Pure Pitch Rally. “We could not be more excited for the diversity of ideas, industries and experience represented in this year’s cohort…

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Donald Hawkins, KC Collective; STARTLAND's Innovation Exchange

Winning pitch: Leading KC fintech founder deposits trio of new bank partnerships 

By Tommy Felts / September 18, 2020

One of Kansas City’s prominent fintech and nonprofit leaders has secured partnerships with three of the regions leading banks.  Donald Hawkins, founder and CEO of Griffin Technologies and a co-leader in KC Collective, was awarded pilot projects with Emprise Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Intrust Bank, Thursday — part of the Wichita-based NXSTAGE Pilot Competition, hosted…

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