News

Survey: 97 percent of KC businesses expect same or better performance in 2022

By Tommy Felts / December 9, 2021

Business executives in the Kansas City metro expressed optimism about what lies ahead in 2022 — despite lingering pandemic-related challenges, according to newly released local and regional survey results from First Business Bank. “There are always multiple dimensions of the story to consider, but 2021 was a big improvement over 2020, and with employment increasing across…

Teen STEM lab championed by Travis Kelce goes zero-carbon solar with boost from KC corporate leaders

By Tommy Felts / December 9, 2021

A solar installation at Operation Breakthrough’s new Ignition Lab on Troost Avenue is expected to power the STEM space for students — made possible by a team of Kansas City corporate leaders committed to clean energy and support for the Travis Kelce-backed complex. Mounted atop a central canopy at the site, the project is set to…

Crossroads neighbors’ limited-release holiday brew bottled after three years in the barrel

By Tommy Felts / December 9, 2021

When 400 bottles of Lifted Spirits’ Straight Wheat Whiskey — created using a coffee wheat stout from its Crossroads neighbor Torn Label — went on sale to the public Wednesday, the distillery-brewery mashup’s potential was finally tapped, said Michael Stuckey. “This partnership with Torn Label is a unique collaboration that demonstrates the creative, artistic nature…

KC software team of three builds $3.5M insurance risk management app from scratch

By Tommy Felts / December 9, 2021

A New York-based insurance management startup recently closed a $3.5 million funding round for its new end-to-end platform — an application built entirely by Kansas City software developer Binary Noggin. billy, a construction-specific insurance management and tracking application headquartered in Brooklyn, sought out Binary Noggin’s services early this year for developing its software. The startup…

Former Google, Uber exec joins maker of Pokémon Go — and he’s building a team of developers in Lawrence

By Tommy Felts / December 7, 2021

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. Brian…