News

Tesseract Ventures team

AI, robotics innovator Tesseract Ventures secures $2M investment from UMB Capital

By Tommy Felts / March 5, 2020

One of Kansas City’s leading startups is making good on a teaser that it’s collaborating with local “titans of industry” to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies. Tesseract Ventures — which uses robots, smart spaces, wearables and connected platforms in its mission to make industries smarter, better connected and more efficient…

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PJ Piper, Aware Vehicles; and ZhiQiang Chen, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Whiteboard2Boardroom connections advance innovation for startups like Aware Vehicles

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2020

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Sarah Mote is marketing director for UMKC Innovation Center and KCSourceLink. The right introduction, at the right time, can make a world of difference. Tech entrepreneur P.J. Piper came to Kansas City six years ago to scale another venture. What he had: entrepreneurial…

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Matt Miquelon and Bill Frenzel, Signal Kit

Startup to Watch exit: KC’s Signal Kit found momentum — and a buyer — on West Coast

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2020

An edtech firm with deep roots in Kansas City’s startup community is being integrated into its new West Coast owner’s school communications platform, the companies announced Monday. Signal Kit — one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2019 — was acquired by Santa Barbara, Calif.-based ParentSquare in an undisclosed cash and equity…

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Bryan Boots, UMKC's Regnier Institute

Regnier student venture contest widens to high schools, eyeing next generation of innovators

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2020

A broader reach is expected to drive the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge in 2020, as the University of Missouri-Kansas City expands the impact-driven contest beyond multiple state lines.  “We hope to see even more regional representation in the competition than we’ve had in past years — which has already been pretty regional,” Bryan Boots, managing director…

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Plug and Play innovation summit unleashing Topeka’s animal health, agtech potential

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 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. TOPEKA…

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