News
Sunflower fest opens at KC Wine Co as popular pumpkin patch grows into year-round destination
Transforming from a Jurassic farm to a winter wonderland, the green thumbs at KC Pumpkin Patch have grown their niche as a year-round destination in rural southwest Johnson County. Next set to bloom: a sunflower-rich selfie oasis on the prairie (with wine). “We loved having folks come for the fall [pumpkin patch] season, but people…
Hemp could be the next superfood: How one state-backed company is connecting farmers to retailers now
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. AUGUSTA, Kansas — A Kansas company specializing in agricultural and industrial hemp hopes that a collaborative, educational approach in a burgeoning industry will benefit farmers, the environment, and end users…
17-year-old social entrepreneur among finalists tapped for healthtech pilot competition
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. WICHITA — A Kansas teenager’s telemedicine nonprofit was selected as one of nine finalists for a local health tech startup competition — the only Sunflower State venture chosen for the…
Home-delivered juice maker nibbles its way into sparkling water market with expansion
Zen Donkey Farms — known for its raw, organic, cold-pressed juices available through home delivery — is expanding while continuing its mission of rescuing donkeys and bringing donkey-facilitated wellness programs to Kansas City, said co-founder Kate Barker. The purpose-driven wellness business — which also offers plant-based mylks, hemp protein superfoods, CBD skin care products, and…
KC ranks No. 11 among Midwest startup cities, holding its spot thanks to funding wins amid VC slowdown
A healthy dose of recent funding events kept Kansas City in the No. 11 spot in the 2023 edition of M25’s annual ranking of Midwest startup cities, said Victor Gutwein, founder and managing partner at M25. The comprehensive report explores how metropolitan areas across the Midwest are performing relative to each other based on startup…
