News

Photos: Sprint Accelerator leaders salute former managing director at demo day

By Tommy Felts / June 27, 2019

Gratitude powered down the sixth cohort of the Sprint and Dairy Farmers of America-backed Corporate Accelerator Thursday. “I do have one more person that I need to acknowledge and that person is Doug Dresslear,” Tina Peterson, manager of the Sprint Accelerator, told a packed crowd at the National World War 1 museum’s J.C. Nichols Auditorium. …

LaunchKC, Nueterra Capital announce health accelerator with $50K, plus resources for each startup in cohort 

By Tommy Felts / June 27, 2019

Adding its third vertical in less than a year, LaunchKC will expand its grant opportunities deployment with the new LaunchKC Health Accelerator aimed at improving patient outcomes, the program announced Thursday.  “LaunchKC continues to see momentum, headed into its fifth year, having invested over $2 million in cash grants to attract or retain 38 tech…

Trust yourself and make your own everything: Hear the artist hustle of Amado Espinoza

By Tommy Felts / June 27, 2019

Whether directing a contemporary indigenous stage performance, covering the Beatles classic Elanor Rigby with a pan flute and charango for TEDxKC or creating a diatonically-tuned bendy-straw, Amado Espinoza understands the importance of fully committing to a pursuit. “For me, being a professional musician means when you dedicate your entire life to music,” he said. A…

Food delivery giants are eating up restaurant profits; KC startups add survival back to the menu

By Tommy Felts / June 27, 2019

Ordering a meal at the press of a button is convenient for customers, but behind-the-scenes deals with the delivery giants that made on-demand food popular are running some independently owned restaurants out of business, said Vincent Son. “We’re not making a dime,” said Son, owner of China Feast in River Market, which uses five different…

Hometown startup launches Swappa Local in KC, trading tech junk sellers for secure deals

By Tommy Felts / June 25, 2019

A firsthand experience with a mysterious Craigslist seller served as fuel for Kansas City-listed startup Swappa’s latest innovation of the local marketplace: Swappa Local.  “I exchanged money with the seller, we both drove off, leaving the parking lot at the same time,” recalled Ben Edwards, Swappa founder and CEO. “We ended up stopped at the…