News

Quartet of startups hop into the Digital Sandbox KC

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2018

Four early-stage businesses recently entered the Digital Sandbox KC program. The new startups demonstrate the ingenuity Digital Sandbox aims to attract for its grant-funding efforts, said Jeff Shackelford, director of Digital Sandbox KC. “From helping students prepare for college to analyzing voting records to predict legislative outcomes, the startups in the Sandbox are a great…

Newest Techstars KC class tackling payday loans, food safety, bots for business

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2018

Techstars Kansas City has revealed its 2018 cohort of startups. The 10 companies will make a big impact not only on Kansas City but the global economy, said Lesa Mitchell, managing director of Techstars KC. “Although our companies come from many industries, they share in common that they are all solving problems to make the…

YEP KC teen serves hope through enterprising volleyball benefit for men’s shelter

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2018

When 17-year-old Catherine Franano learned the mattresses at Kansas City Rescue Mission were old and too worn for comfortable use, the Pembroke High School senior leapt into action, she said. “Some of these people … like they’ve just had so many awful things happen to them, but not having anywhere to sleep?” Catherine said. “How…

(Video) ESHIP Summit attendees ask: Can entrepreneurial support efforts actually be sustainable?

By Tommy Felts / July 13, 2018

When more than 600 attendees gathered this week in Kansas City for the second ESHIP Summit, they each came with their own ecosystems, businesses, local governments and support networks in mind. They also brought questions. “What are they doing in their cities? What’s worked and what hasn’t worked? What can we adopt back at home…

Four key moments led to SoftVu’s exit (three missteps kept it from happening sooner)

By Tommy Felts / July 13, 2018

Deals like the acquisition of KC-based SoftVu by an Alabama private equity firm don’t happen overnight. And founder Tim Donnelly gives near-equal weight to the trials and triumphs that led the marketing platform to its big exit. “We’ve done as much as we possibly can based on the mistakes we’ve made, the lessons that have…