News

LaunchKC reviving $50K grants competition with 8 big checks for startups ready to call KC home

By Tommy Felts / August 1, 2022

After a four-year hiatus, LaunchKC is officially set to bring back its signature grants competition. Early-stage tech companies will have the opportunity to each win $50,000 in non-dilutive grants, plus access to business support and networking.  Co-founded by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri, (EDCKC) and Downtown Council (DTC), the non-profit LaunchKC’s cornerstone…

It starts with wool on 125-year-old looms; story of Pancho’s Blanket weaves KC into family mission

By Tommy Felts / July 30, 2022

The popularity of Jonathan Garvey’s favorite wool jacket from Mexico eventually would weave a story of entrepreneurship connecting Kansas City to his family’s home and artisans in Latin America. It took the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to help impoverished communities in Mexico to propel that plan into action. About a year and a half…

Swing for the big league: Custom baseball bat maker turns wood into diamond-worthy dingers

By Tommy Felts / July 30, 2022

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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. BALDWIN…

Historic $1.8M pre-seed round revs up automotive startup with former BacklotCars VP behind the wheel

By Tommy Felts / July 28, 2022

Anders Ericson is tackling an overlooked issue in the automotive industry, he shared, and investors are not missing out on the opportunity to back up his solution.  “There is this glaring problem in the market where people with subprime credit, who are trying to buy a car, are going into these specialized dealerships and paying…

New state awards aim to honor ‘Cool things made in Kansas,’ unconventional talent sources

By Tommy Felts / July 28, 2022

Kansas businesses and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the Sunflower State, said David Toland, announcing the return of Kansas’ annual awards program aimed at recognizing businesses across the state for the contributions they make to the state economy and to the well-being of their communities. “They are what make our state strong, prosperous and successful…