News

KU spinout earns $180K+ in prizes at business plan competition; students going full-time with startup

By Tommy Felts / April 11, 2024

LAWRENCE, Kansas — A sustainable engineering startup that emerged from the University of Kansas took fifth place in a recent business competition at Rice University in Houston, earning more than $180,000 in prizes and an opportunity to make history for the founders’ alma mater. Icorium Engineering, the first-ever team from Kansas to compete in the…

Coffee shop owner (and superhero super fan) pours himself into the pages of Darkmoon Comics

By Tommy Felts / April 10, 2024

Mike Gladney might not be living in the Marvel or DC universes, but he is dwelling within the realm of his own dream world surrounded by comic books, he shared. Gladney — and his wife, Vania — own Comic Coffeehouse in Olathe, and now he’s also the editor-in-chief for Kansas City-based Darkmoon Comics. “I’m doing…

Tax service wins Missouri Startup Weekend as entrepreneurs embrace ‘building great stuff’

By Tommy Felts / April 10, 2024

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. COLUMBIA, Missouri — St. Louis natives David Beach and Bryan Edelman won Missouri Startup…

Theme park developer plans year-round getaway alongside Barbie’s lakeside beach house in KCK

By Tommy Felts / April 9, 2024

Barbie’s Beach House is just the beginning. The developer behind a planned a new theme park centered around Mattel toys this week released more about its vision for Destination KCK, a year-round entertainment destination coming to Bonner Springs, Kansas, in Wyandotte County. “The development will bring a whole new set of adventures just west of…

She refused to back down; how this gamechanger earned a spot on the field with the KC Current 

By Tommy Felts / April 9, 2024

As a history-making season rolls on for the Kansas City Current, a recent match proved the perfect opportunity to honor the founder and CEO of WeCode KC, said Christina Lively, detailing Tammy Buckner’s selection as the first “Gamechanger” award winner. “Tammy’s story is the perfect example of pursuing your dream and refusing to back down…