News

Alexa, show me the winners: Storytailor leads Pure Pitch Rally prize tally ahead of tech launch

By Tommy Felts / October 28, 2025

Storytailor’s marquee Pure Pitch Rally win comes at the perfect time for the Kansas City startup, its founders said. They’re preparing to roll out a new immersive storytelling platform through a partnership with Amazon’s Alexa+ next year — a move expected to bring their tech to more than 200 million Prime users. “It’s the most…

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LISTEN: How the Midwest opened this German agtech company’s eyes to opportunity in the US

By Tommy Felts / October 27, 2025

On this episode of our 12-part Plug and Play Topeka podcast series, we connect with Débora Moretti, co-CEO of NutriSen — a Berlin-based agtech startup building real-time molecular sensors to measure nutrient concentrations in plants directly on the field. Moretti shares how her team, alongside co-founder Tobias Vöpel, is merging biosensor technology, data-driven insights and…

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Crossing lanes: KC Streetcar collaborators back aboard for expansion, dropping new merch, anthem

By Tommy Felts / October 24, 2025

Opening the extended KC Streetcar line Friday completes a loop for creatives whose collaborations with the popular public transit system first emerged nearly a decade ago along Main Street — a time when Kansas City’s surging vibrancy helped curb streetcar doubters. “For us, it’s always been about representing Kansas City — the people, the culture,…

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André’s planted its flag in KC 70 years ago; chocolatier says that’s just a taste of what’s to come

By Tommy Felts / October 24, 2025

Nearly 5,000 miles from Switzerland, a small group toured the inner sanctum of an iconic 70-year-old Kansas City company — a family-run brand that helped redefine accessible luxury in the Midwest, one Swiss chocolate-covered almond at a time. “What people get excited about André’s is the legacy, that we take a lot of pride in…

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Here’s how ULAH’s new boutique model aims to rack success for local brands, not inventory debt

By Tommy Felts / October 23, 2025

The new KC Collective consignment-based program for local brands at ULAH is a win for both the Westwood boutique and Kansas City creatives, said Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly, announcing a fresh model to help the struggling store stay open and financially stable. “We’ve always had local brands,” said Mendez, co-founder of ULAH, explaining the…

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