Minority-Led

KC, Wichita investors, new backers boost Novel Capital’s efforts to break down funding barriers

By Tommy Felts / July 19, 2022

Additional funders have joined a seed extension round to help Novel Capital accelerate growth for B2B predictable revenue companies, the company announced Monday, noting further investment by KCRise Fund and Wichita-based Tenzing Capital. Novel Capital’s latest funding round was led by Ulu Ventures, with additional participation from MatterScale and Edovate Capital, as well as its…

Sister pitmasters of Jones Bar-B-Q, made famous by Queer Eye, are selling their restaurant

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2022

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. After Thursday’s lunch rush, Mary “Shorty” Jones and her sister, Deborah “Little” Jones stood outside of their beloved Jones Bar-B-Q, waving at the…

Service took Yinka Faleti from Kuwait to Ferguson; now this VC’s pushing social change from a $25M fund 

By Tommy Felts / July 15, 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. ST.…

Just funded: Meet the five latest startups scaling their tech, Digital Sandbox KC’s impact 

By Tommy Felts / July 12, 2022

Five emerging startups are the latest to benefit from Digital Sandbox KC’s support — investment and resources that have led to more than $200 million in follow-on funding in less than 10 years for Sandbox companies. “Without this funding, it would have taken us much longer, as the whole project is currently being bootstrapped,” said…

Its menu simmers with just five dishes; How Thaiger’s bowl’d flavors roll in complex family recipes

By Tommy Felts / July 5, 2022

When someone orders the spicy pho or crispy pork belly bowl at Thaiger, they soon receive it just as Adison Sichampanakhone and his family make it at home, he shared.  “If you were to come to one of our barbecues or cookouts, you would see it’s the same preparation, same sauce as we do here…