Minority-Led

Big winner at GEWKC: AltCap Your Biz turns The Next Paige with $42K+ in prizes

By Tommy Felts / November 17, 2023

Editor’s note: Startland News’ coverage of Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City is made possible by the support of Husch Blackwell. The value of local support should not be underestimated or taken for granted, said Elaina Thomas, winner of the $25,000 grand prize at Thursday’s AltCap Your Biz pitch competition. “I feel blessed, I feel like I…

LaunchKC awards $300K: Six new startups enter the winners’ circle with KC investments

By Tommy Felts / November 15, 2023

Editor’s note: Startland News’ coverage of Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City is made possible by the support of Husch Blackwell. Emerging entrepreneurs don’t need Silicon Valley to launch or scale their startups, said Holly Andra Small, leader of one of six companies announced Tuesday as $50,000 winners in LaunchKC’s grants competition.  “We were so excited,” said…

Pitch competition at GEW Topeka puts $38K on the line for women, entrepreneurs of color

By Tommy Felts / November 14, 2023

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.  TOPEKA — Building an equitable business community in Shawnee County is critical to economic development in and around the state’s capital city, said Glenda Washington. A pitch competition slated for…

These three KC startup founders are jumping into the Dolphin Tank, hoping to swim with the unicorns

By Tommy Felts / November 10, 2023

When the Dolphin Tank pitch showcase sinks its teeth into a market like Kansas City, the goal is to accelerate women-led tech companies to a national level, said Rachel Rong. “Our mission is to build out the ecosystem and support women entrepreneurs in Kansas City,” said Rong, the director of operations for Springboard Enterprises, which…

Web3 conference aims to demystify blockchain, making evolving tech more accessible

By Tommy Felts / October 31, 2023

The future of blockchain has arrived, said Shekhar Gupta, noting that since the technology first gained mainstream interest, it has proven critical in a wide range of use cases that could help to reshape the world as consumers and innovators know it. “A lot has changed in the last three or four years in the…