News

KC Pioneers scored Kansas City a spot on the ‘gaming wave’; why this pro esports teams views its hometown as a championship asset

By Tommy Felts / September 27, 2024

In the globe-spanning esports market, most of the top competitive gaming teams keep their hometown — if they have one — ambiguous to the public. With the industry expected to touch 1 billion people worldwide by 2029 and players untethered to physical locations, it’s simply an unimportant biographical detail to many. And potentially limiting for others.…

How a $527M development is poised to transform KC’s last ‘Wild West’ neighborhood

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2024

Editor’s note: The following story was 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. A New York developer plans to renovate several historic West Bottoms buildings into apartments and office space, in addition to new…

Imitators beware: KC’s viral, must-have hat flips the script on hometown pride that can’t be duped

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2024

It’s the favorite hat of influencers and athletes alike; Meet the KC native under the brim One of the most in-demand hats in Kansas City — spotted on KC athletes like Patrick Mahomes and Bobby Witt Jr. and an array of popular influencers — is driven by a hometown pride that transcends location, said Taylor…

Report: Nearly 10 percent of KC’s economy is tech; How AI is reshaping the way world sees Kansas City

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2024

Kansas City now has one of the densest tech workforces in the Midwest, said Kara Lowe, emphasizing that the City of Fountains has surpassed larger cities like Chicago, Houston, and Nashville, with a greater economic impact on the local population than in any of those metros. More than 77,000 skilled professionals, representing 9 percent of…

Just funded: Digital Sandbox KC drops the hook for three more emerging tech startups

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2024

From optimizing trucking logistics to revolutionizing peer-to-peer recommendations and streamlining compliance with AI, the latest startups funded by Digital Sandbox KC are poised to make a significant impact in their industries, said Jill Meyer.  “We’ve been truly impressed by the expertise and passion these founders bring to the table,” said Meyer, senior director of Technology…