News

KC software group ventures into sports tech with new college athlete endorsement platform

By Tommy Felts / November 19, 2021

With a new law in effect this summer allowing student athletes to sign sponsorship deals and profit off of their name, image and likeness, Artisan Technology Group jumped at the opening to help young people navigate such new opportunities, the company said. Artisan teamed with Opendorse, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based sports tech firm, to help them…

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DJ Stewart, Journey Pro

‘Prognosis is pointless’: Journey Pro KC wrestling owner forces cancer statistics to tap out

By Tommy Felts / November 18, 2021

 Story and photos by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News | Video by Catherine Hoffman, Flatland Two years after his diagnosis, DJ Stewart still has never googled “glioblastoma.” “I have Grade 4 glioblastoma — meaning the highest, most aggressive grade. If you go down that rabbit hole on the internet, it’s a terrible thing to do.…

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Marcelle Clements, Pantry Goods

Pantry Goods brings wall-to-wall organic, European-style shopping to Midtown micro market

By Tommy Felts / November 18, 2021

The expansion of Pantry Goods from an online service into a Midtown micro market has brought with it a bushel of changes — all organic — for Marcelle Clements as she continues her mission to grow support for small businesses and sustainable living. “It was a great move,” said Clements, founder of Pantry Goods, recalling her…

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Lee Zuvanich, Appsta, Adva Digital Solutions

He wanted to post his pronouns on LinkedIn sooner, but first this startup founder had to come out to himself

By Tommy Felts / November 18, 2021

The word was simple — sprinkled into a potentially impactful email introduction last week with little fanfare — but for Lee Zuvanich, reading it felt like Christmas morning. His. “When I came out on LinkedIn this summer — with my pronouns and everything — it wasn’t really a choice,” said Zuvanich, a trans man who now…

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Father Justin Mathews, Thelma's Kitchen, Reconciliation Services

LaunchKC’s latest: a Social Venture Studio to tackle social, racial, environmental issues

By Tommy Felts / November 16, 2021

A new Kansas City-based social venture studio is expected to help social entrepreneurs avoid grant starvation — and depending too heavily on financial gifts — in lieu of models that focus on innovative steps toward sustainability, said Father Justin Mathews. “I got very excited about social venturing — this idea of being able to harness…

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