News

Kaitlin Doyle, Kevin Montanez, Kirby Montgomery, and Simone Astra Louise Montgomery; photo courtesy of Maria Butz

TheraWe exits: Pandemic opens pipeline for KC health tech startup, catching eye of NY buyer 

By Tommy Felts / June 18, 2020

Kirby Montgomery announced the acquisition of TheraWe earlier this week, but — in a nod to “evening entrepreneurism” — the founder won’t actually go full-time with the startup he created three years ago until Monday. TheraWe — a HIPAA-compliant mobile video platform that bridges the gap between pediatric therapy centers and families at home — recently…

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Gerald Smith, Plexpod

Created for collisions, coworking spaces adapt to a socially distant return to flexible offices

By Tommy Felts / June 18, 2020

Typically focused on in-person collaboration and interaction, coworking spaces are adapting to the realities of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — and seeing some unexpected opportunities, said Gerald Smith. “Corporate inquiries just went through the roof because suddenly they’re now looking to de-densify their corporate headquarters,” said Smith, founder of Plexpod, a progressive coworking community with four…

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Jonathan "JP" Platz and Vu Radley, MADE MOBB

MADE to order: How KC’s top streetwear brand plans to fund therapy sessions for ‘our brothers and sisters’

By Tommy Felts / June 18, 2020

No health, no hustle, said Vu Radley, detailing MADE MOBB’s recently launched effort to fund free therapy sessions for members of the Black community. “Mental health isn’t something that’s talked about a lot within minority groups. For me, growing up, it wasn’t,” said Radley, co-founder of MADE, emphasizing newly heightened stress and super-charged anxiety for…

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Photo courtesy of Doosan Bobcat North America

AI startup partners with Bobcat on self-driving bulldozers for ‘more intelligent’ job sites

By Tommy Felts / June 16, 2020

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. LAWRENCE…

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Luke Luttrell, Project Content

Expensive billboards aren’t enough: Digital content startup pushes platform for engaging signage

By Tommy Felts / June 16, 2020

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…

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