News Stories

Matthew Claar, Decker Starr and John Boucard; Tesseract Ventures

Peek inside Tesseract HQ: Robotics startup builds future in real time (with humans on the brain)

As an intentionally lowered screen begins to lift on Tesseract Ventures, once-seemingly-wild ideas that lived only in tech inventor John Boucard’s head are being realized. With them, the future of work is taking shape — 3D-printed piece by 3D-printed piece — hardwired in the suburbs of Kansas City.  “We were a bit mysterious in the…

Photo by Amy Benton Blake

Avoiding money mistakes now: What teens wish they knew about money 

Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by CommunityAmerica Credit Union, a partner of STARTLAND, the parent organization of Startland News. Click here to learn about CommunityAmerica’s coming financial literacy webinar series for parents. This story was produced independently by Startland News. A spring corporate innovation internship program — designed as an outlet and opportunity…

Luke Wade, KC Crew; photo courtesy of Nicole Bissey Photography

KC Crew dives into virtual entertainment, surviving long enough to reopen summer sports

When COVID-19 shut down organized sports across the city, Luke and Katy Wade went back to the basics to keep KC Crew active — putting a virtual spin on classic entertainment options. “Who would have thought bingo you know?” Luke Wade said, referencing his first experiment in finding an alternative diversion for a newly online-only…

Miguel Johns, KingFit

KingFit acquisition fuels expansion plans in Mexico, focuses bilingual health tech startup

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. WICHITA…

UMKC-backed coding academy offers career reboot without the ‘imposter syndrome’

Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by Yoodle, a partner of STARTLAND, the parent organization of Startland News. Click here to learn about the FEC Coding Academy courses or to apply for its coming cohort, a partnership between Yoodle, the Full Employment Council and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This story was produced independently by…