Government

Luke Norris OpenCities

PayIt exec departs to launch Australia-based OpenCities office in KC

By Tommy Felts / March 27, 2018

An executive with Kansas City-based PayIt has departed the company to open an area office for another government tech firm. Previously head of local government solutions at PayIt, Luke Norris now is leading the Kansas City office of Australia-based OpenCities, which is a provider of website and digital services for governments across the world. “The…

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Melissa Roberts, the Enterprise Center in Johnson County, and Bek Abdullayev, Super Dispatch

Immigrant entrepreneurs need path to US now, GOP senator behind Startup Act says

By Tommy Felts / March 21, 2018

Editor’s note: The following story on Jerry Moran’s Startup Act is part of a three-part series on the potential for immigrant or foreign-born entrepreneurs to help reshape Kansas City’s startup ecosystem. Read a warning from a leading Kansas City tech CEO about coming challenges within the local talent pipeline here. Check out a feature on…

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Startup stakeholders: Opportunity zones could prompt culture shift on redevelopment

By Tommy Felts / March 9, 2018

Startup community stakeholders think opportunity zones in some of Kansas City’s poorest areas could work, but only with collaboration between the government and private sector. A number of low-income communities in Kansas City are eligible for designation as opportunity zones — areas in which investors may defer paying capital gains taxes over a certain period…

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Ashley Hand

Letter to the editor: Former KC innovation officer weighs in on new short-term rental law

By Tommy Felts / March 2, 2018

The following is a letter to the editor written by former Kansas City, Missouri, chief innovation officer Ashley Z. Hand in response to a recent series of Startland articles focused on Kansas City’s new short-term rental regulations. All opinions in the commentary are the author’s alone.  [divide color=”#685c3f”] I find it interesting that there is…

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City gave into fear, failed the test on innovation with Airbnb vote, councilman says

By Tommy Felts / February 27, 2018

Kansas City’s move Thursday to prohibit short-term rentals in large portions of the city sent a clear message to entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas and technology, Quinton Lucas said: “Not In My Backyard.”   “I don’t know why a city that has so many innovators and that’s buzzing, that’s exciting — and frankly doesn’t always have…

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