Minority-Led

TripleBlind posts $24M round as interest in its data privacy tech expands, founder talks $100M+ valuation

By Tommy Felts / October 18, 2021

An oversubscribed $24 million Series A funding round announced Monday is expected to push Kansas City-coded TripleBlind into new verticals as it rapidly scales and finds itself a leader in data efficiency.  The startup — which previously secured $8.2 million in seed funding in April — found return support in Mayo Clinic, which co-led the…

Blockchain to beef: Why one serial innovator traded the slow pace of corporate life for another muzzle

By Tommy Felts / October 14, 2021

Shekhar Gupta learned early that life comes with two approaches for overcoming challenges: accept the problem and move on or figure out a better way of solving it. The Kansas City serial entrepreneur has no shortage of ideas for finding solutions, but he keeps moving nonetheless. As COO of Blockchain Initiatives, Gupta has his hands…

Meet six newly funded companies helping get KC’s economy ‘back on track’ with Digital Sandbox

By Tommy Felts / October 14, 2021

Digital Sandbox funding is a game-changer for CuePlay — one of six companies selected for the proof of concept program’s latest cohort — said founder Rebecca Simons, who first launched the idea two years ago at Techstars’ Startup Weekend in Kansas City. “It allows us to finish the development of a beta app and get it…

Tile Five climbs higher with $1.5M seed round for Approach spinout, set to onboard 200+ gyms by year’s end

By Tommy Felts / October 13, 2021

A $1.5 million funding round for Kansas City-based Approach is expected to further develop the future of gym operations — a growing industry, primed for disruption, Andrew Potter said.  “Gym operations are becoming more and more efficient and are leveraging technology and data to help drive business decisions,” explained Potter, founding partner.  A platform of Tile…

Why one chef calls city’s airport vote a ‘life-changing event for small businesses in Kansas City’

By Tommy Felts / October 9, 2021

A freshly stamped plan to bring more than a dozen women- and minority-owned businesses — among 40 local brands — to Kansas City’s new airport terminal is a surreal turn for Laronda Lanear, the Kansas City chef said, noting the project’s opportunity for generational impact. “It’s going to change my life, my daughter’s life. It’s going…