News

David Hulsen and Stuart Ludlow, RFP360

Tech company at the vanguard of KC startup boom exits to West Coast competitor

By Tommy Felts / August 3, 2021

One of Kansas City’s earliest startups to watch of the past decade has been acquired by an Oregon-based competitor.  RFPIO announced the purchase of RFP360, a Leawood-based software-as-a-service startup, Tuesday morning. A dollar amount for the deal was not disclosed.  “Through this acquisition, I’m extremely excited about the future as we work together to drive…

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Adam Miller, Let's Talk Black Business

Let’s Talk Black Business: You don’t need to be ‘the next Lebron’ — just succeed where others fell short   

By Tommy Felts / August 3, 2021

Editor’s note: The following story — spotlighting an Aug. 25 virtual event about challenges facing Black business owners — is sponsored by Let’s Talk Black Business and SCORE Community Strategic Alliance. Black entrepreneurship isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, said Dom Green.  “It is not cookie cutter, and it is so important to showcase the differences of the…

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Patrick Klima, WyCo Vintage

WyCo Vintage — boasting world’s largest collection of vintage tees — opens second sister-shop on Broadway

By Tommy Felts / July 31, 2021

Patrick Klima likely does more laundry than anyone else in Kansas City, he said, half-joking.  “The WyCo Vintage inventory is constantly being updated. We’ve been doing weekly drops of about 75 or so vintage shirts for the past four years — which means a lot of washing, shooting, SEO stuff and social media,” explained Klima,…

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Conner Hazelrigg, 1773 Innovation Co., the Sunshine Box

‘Sunshine Box’ inventor earns $25K prize in pitch competition for women-led social ventures

By Tommy Felts / July 30, 2021

The woman behind a solar-paneled electric charging station built to overcome challenges found in developing nations earned the spotlight herself as Thursday’s big winner in the inaugural HI-HERImpact Kansas City pitch competition. Conner Hazelrigg, founder of 1773 Innovation Co. — the maker of the Sunshine Box — was awarded the contest’s $25,000 prize in the…

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More than $10K raised for Operation Breakthrough after podcast host’s sudden death

By Tommy Felts / July 29, 2021

A recording studio in Operation Breakthrough’s soon-to-debut Ignition Lab on Troost Avenue will pay tribute to Mathew George after fans, friends and family of the late podcast host made more than $10,000 in donations in his name.  “I didn’t even realize how many people Mathew affected or was friends with,” said Mary Ann George, mother…

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