News

After $1.25M seed round, Sprint alumni credit KC roots for Rogue Games’ agility, hungry hustle

By Tommy Felts / April 23, 2019

At just over 2 years old, a formerly indie mobile game publisher is rocketing to the top of its industry, with one of its founders attributing LA-based Rogue Games’ success to its origins in KC. “We take pride that our Kansas City roots have given us an edge in the industry, to be honest with…

KCMO ready to do business with marijuana startups; entrepreneurs of color see ‘catalyst for empowerment’

By Tommy Felts / April 20, 2019

A green rush is soaking up sunshine in Missouri, and if attitudes of state officials, businesses owners and marijuana advocates are any indication, Kansas City is fertile ground for the movement. “We have a huge diversity of business opportunities,” said Rick Usher, KCMO assistant city manager for entrepreneurship and small business. Usher is spearheading the…

Calendar update: Startup Weekend KC event postponed until fall, organizer says

By Tommy Felts / April 20, 2019

Entrepreneurs hungering for intensive, organic product development will have to wait a few more months for their fix. Techstars Startup Weekend KC — originally slated for April 26-28 at the SafetyCulture North American Headquarters in the Crossroads — has been postponed until September, event organizer Rebecca Dove said. The annual “three-day long sprint to launch…

Most-funded tech startups: $100M-plus investment puts PayIt on the map with C2FO

By Tommy Felts / April 19, 2019

Companies in the Midwest and South are making major plays for investment dollars, according to CB Insights, with Kansas City’s PayIt and C2FO earning spots on the latest map of the nation’s most well-funded tech startups. “The tech boom has diffused beyond the traditional hotbeds of California, New York, and Massachusetts, across the entire United…

Prime Digital Academy pledges $20K in scholarships to boost inclusion in KC tech

By Tommy Felts / April 18, 2019

A coding boot camp that freshly arrived in Kansas City this winter plans to underwrite $20,000 in scholarships specifically for individuals who are part of demographics underrepresented in the coding profession, said Rachael Bromander. “At a time in the market where tech talent is scarce and growth is booming, programs like Prime represent a way…