Startups

When farmers get paid faster, everyone eats; HitchPin brings fintech to ag, good to humanity, founder says

By Tommy Felts / September 3, 2025

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  The fintech revolution typically overlooks agriculture, Trevor McKeeman said, noting that any move to bring tools — like a payment platform within a digital marketplace — definitely breaks ground for…

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LISTEN: Founder on his third startup shares his ‘toilet test’ for culture, talks the lonely eship rollercoaster from Ireland to Topeka

By Tommy Felts / August 29, 2025

On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we chat with Barry McDonogh — CEO of Hinalea Imaging — to uncover how cutting-edge hyperspectral imaging is changing the way industries see the world. From food safety and agriculture to pharmaceuticals and defense, Hinalea’s technology reveals the invisible — capturing data…

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Court clutter on trial: Olathe legal tech startup puts boxes of evidence one touch away

By Tommy Felts / August 29, 2025

A Kansas-built innovation is reshaping courtroom outcomes with its one-touch trial prep platform that already has helped attorneys secure billions in verdicts with ease, said Jay Rutler. “I have a reputation for solving complicated problems,” added Rutler, founder and CEO of Litigen, and founder of ICON, a casino chip manufacturer. “A friend of mine, a…

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Animal health innovators: Building on a new frontier means do-overs, even when you got it right first

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2025

Kansas City-based ELIAS Animal Health earned full USDA approval for its bone cancer therapy for dogs earlier this year, but the road to commercialization has been long and anything but straight, Tammie Wahaus shared. The veteran CEO shared her story of pivots — including switching from human health to animal health and adapting to ever-changing…

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LaunchKC opens grants competition with nationwide search; eying companies to call KC home

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2025

A popular grants competition that offers early stage tech companies the opportunity to win $60,000 in non-dilutive grants, downtown Kansas City office space, and access to scaling resources is back for 2025 — emphasizing startups with high-growth potential and equitable business practices. LaunchKC’s signature Liftoff grants competition opened applications Thursday, kicking off a nationwide search…

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