News

Kauffman report: KC startup momentum builds for 3 years running, improves national rank

By Tommy Felts / May 18, 2017

It’s not just a feeling. Momentum in Kansas City’s startup community continues to grow, according to new data from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The Kauffman Index of Startup Activity found that for the third consecutive year, entrepreneurial activity in the Kansas City metro has grown. The index — which presents entrepreneurial trends nationally, at…

KC-based Make48 invention contest to become national TV show

By Tommy Felts / May 17, 2017

Kansas-City based invention competition Make48 is becoming a nationally-televised program in September. The inaugural season of Make48 will be featured on more than 200 public television stations via American Public Television, reaching about 70 percent of U.S. households. Founded in 2015, Make48 challenges inventors to build a product over a weekend. For the show, however,…

Just Play Sports Solutions lands seven pro sports clients

By Tommy Felts / May 16, 2017

A Kansas City startup is going pro. On Tuesday, Just Play Sports Solutions announced it will partner with seven professional WNBA teams — the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystic. The teams represent the firm’s first foray into professional sports’ clients. Founded in 2014 by two…

LED Rabbit tech enhances training for track athletes

By Tommy Felts / May 16, 2017

A new Lenexa-based tech firm aims to make training for track and field athletes more precise. Founded in 2015, LED Rabbit is an electronic pacing system that can attach to or overlay any track. The product uses LED lighting to move a marker around a track, offering runners an indicator of what their pace needs…

Leawood Venture Capital opens new $25 million startup fund

By Tommy Felts / May 16, 2017

Kansas City has a new venture fund focusing on early-stage tech firms. With $25 million in its coffers, Leawood Venture Capital has already made several investments in tech firms around the nation, including Kansas City-based Pepper IoT. Led by seasoned businessmen Brendan Fallis and Karl Gemperli, Leawood Venture Capital will provide equity investments and growth…