Government

startups kcmo budget

Startup advocates rally, demand KCMO invest more of its $1.73B budget in entrepreneurs

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2019

If Kansas City leaders want to build a stronger community, they should start by supporting early stage entrepreneurs, said Lesa Mitchell. “I’m simply here to say — we’re not spending enough money … and we need to look at it,” Mitchell, managing director of Techstars Kansas City, told KCMO city council members Saturday during a public…

Read More >
KC mayors startups

A dating app for founders? Hotspots overhead? KCMO mayoral candidates pair up to pitch startup solutions

By Tommy Felts / March 1, 2019

Bridging the digital divide in Kansas City is simple: Put WiFi hotspots in the trees, quipped Steve Miller, while pitching startup ideas — formed through on-the-spot brainstorming — to a crowd of entrepreneurs. “I love this tree idea … It’s very unique,” laughed fellow Kansas City, Missouri, mayoral candidate and equally off-the-cuff Alissia Canady, Tuesday…

Read More >
Wendy Guillies, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Kauffman address leaves DC; Execs say the people (not politicians) will revive entrepreneurship

By Tommy Felts / February 27, 2019

Everyone should have the opportunity to take a risk, achieve success, and give back to their communities through entrepreneurship, Wendy Guillies said. But it’s a collaborative process that begins at home, she noted. “The reality is we all have a part to play in creating a more prosperous national economy and that starts with growing…

Read More >
Melissa Roberts, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Former ECJC exec Melissa Roberts joins Kauffman Foundation grant making team

By Tommy Felts / February 26, 2019

Everyone has potential if given the right resources, said Melissa Roberts. “Everybody has great ideas if given the right education. Everybody has the potential to be an economic contributor in our society if given the right motivation and support,” she continued. These aren’t her words and values alone, Roberts said. They’re the legacy of Ewing…

Read More >
Missouri Hyperloop

Missouri Hyperloop talk turns to motion sickness, comfort at high-speeds

By Tommy Felts / February 23, 2019

But how will it feel? With the feasibility of a high-speed Missouri Hyperloop route connecting Kansas City to St. Louis in about 30 minutes now established, the conversation has shifted tracks to ergonomics, said Diana Zhou. Curious members of the public want to know more about the safety of the proposed transportation mode’s 600-plus-mph speeds,…

Read More >