Minority-Led

Bamboo Penny’s plants KC Thai in Leawood, plating culture alongside pineapple fried rice

By Tommy Felts / April 13, 2021

Fearlessness is on the menu for Chef Penny Mufuka, a 25-year veteran of the stovetop, bringing to boil plans for a second Johnson County-cooked restaurant in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It makes me sweat everyday,” Mufuka laughed, musing the decision she made with husband and co-owner, Doug Mufuka, to open Bamboo Penny’s in…

Tangible ‘teleportation’: Shawnee Mission East grad re-envisions how humans communicate over distance 

By Tommy Felts / April 13, 2021

Serving as a caregiver to his late mother during her battle with cancer prepared Akshay Dinakar for the next step in his journey as an entrepreneur, he said. “I learned how to do everything — constantly be on call; be able to suit up faster than a fireman and drive to the hospital at a…

First look: Made in KC opens Martini Corner shop with The Black Pantry, limited-run attractions

By Tommy Felts / April 8, 2021

Made in KC’s new flagship shop on the revitalized Martini Corner in Midtown — a storefront shared with The Black Pantry — is a place of discovery, said Keith Bradley, emphasizing the eclectic blend of Kansas City products alongside home goods, specialty foods, and daily necessities from Black-owned companies. The 1,300-square-foot Made in KC retail space…

Pulmonaer Analytics joins Spencer Fane Startup Lab to advance digital asthma solution

By Tommy Felts / April 7, 2021

A leading Kansas City health tech startup is the latest company to join Spencer Fane’s three-month startup lab aimed at addressing the young venture’s legal needs as it develops a digital platform and app to improve asthma outcomes. “I deal with adult asthma every day of my life,” said Sunti Wathanacharoen, founder of Pulmonaer Analytics.…

Civic Saint: How life-threatening setbacks inspired company built on universal humanity, survival

By Tommy Felts / April 2, 2021

Loss is stitched throughout much of Godfrey Riddle’s human story, he said. But its threads don’t define him — and they won’t unravel his mission to bring opportunity to Kansas Citians of every shade, size, and sexuality.  “Being a Black, gay man … I’ve lived through countless experiences of marginalization,” Riddle said, looking back on his…