News

Metactive announces nearly $3M combined in funding round, government grant

By Tommy Felts / March 8, 2018

Fairway-based Metactive has raised a $1.2 million round to accelerate the development of its products for the treatment of neurovascular, peripheral vascular and structural heart diseases. The round included Kansas City-based Mid-America Angels, as well as Serra Ventures. Founded by CEO Nick Franano, Metactive has raised more than $10 million to date. In addition to…

KC Rising red flag: Educated talent leaving KC, metro tech jobs unfilled

By Tommy Felts / March 7, 2018

More college-educated workers are leaving Kansas City than being drawn to the region, according to a new KC Rising report. That means local companies are forced to look outward for qualified talent, said Ryan Weber. “Most of those tech firms are hiring; it’s just for skill sets that few people have,” said Weber, president of…

Students struck by KC gun violence search for solutions at MECA Challenge

By Tommy Felts / March 7, 2018

Editor’s note: MECA Challenge and Startland News are both programs of the Kansas City Startup Foundation, though the content below was produced independently by Startland. For more information on the relationship, click here. Escaping the cycle of gun violence can seem impossible, said Lea Thompson, still wearing a cast on her hand after being shot…

STEAM Studio team coding best fit for boy’s 3-D-printed prosthetic arm

By Tommy Felts / March 6, 2018

Four-year-old Hudson Borton extended his arm Wednesday, as his father fitted a 3-D-printed prosthetic to the boy’s upper arm and elbow. The light blue plastic piece mimicked the size and length of Hudson’s right arm, though his father and Mandi Sonnenberg, co-founder and director of STEAM Studio, agreed the new device wasn’t yet a perfect…

KC-based SouveNEAR vending machine startup prepping to scale up

By Tommy Felts / March 6, 2018

SouveNEAR offers travelers a piece of KC — from KC, said co-founder Tiffany King. The Kansas City-based startup, which repurposes vending machines to sell locally made souvenirs, is in its fourth year of steady, organic growth, King said. As a member of ScaleUP! KC new class, SouveNEAR is preparing to grow the business and turn…