Investors

Techstars’ John Fein: Seed investments key to Kansas City’s startup community

I love Kansas City. I’ve lived here ten years and a big reason I love it is because of our startup community. I’m committed to building our startup community. It’s grown immensely in the past four years, but still has a ways to go. The purpose of this piece isn’t to propose specific measures for…

RiskGenius Chris Cheatham

Kansas City’s “Dr. Dre of Insurance” aims to remix industry

Overland Park-based ClaimKit is planning to drop the beat on the insurance industry thanks to a new round of financing. The self-proclaimed “Dr. Dre of insurance policies,” ClaimKit CEO Chris Cheatham says the company’s $1.8 million round of financing will boost development of its second software product, RiskGenius. ClaimKit was able to lean heavily on…

Is 2016 the last year for Kansas’ angel tax credits?

A popular investor tax credit program in Kansas is likely to sunset after 2016 thanks in part to a budgetary crisis that’s forcing the Sunflower State to broadly tighten its financial belt. Launched in 2005, Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit Program offers a 50 percent income tax credit to qualified angel investors that invest up…

Addressing a market gap, $25M seed fund arrives in Kansas City

Nearly a year after identifying an early-stage funding need in the area, a $25 million seed fund will open a Kansas City office that aims to boost local startups. With a Wednesday night intro at Polsinelli, the Royal Street Investment & Innovation Center will soon move into the Kansas City metro for its second fund. Founded…

cash money

Mid-America Angels’ injects $2.8M into nine startups during 2015

The Mid-America Angels, a Kansas City area-based angel investor network, closed 2015 on a high note with more than $2.8 million invested in nine ventures. The 2015 investment total is a near-20 percent increase in capital from 2014’s roughly $2.3 million invested. Rick Vaughn, the MAA’s managing director, said last year also was the most…