Startups

GiftAMeal, Lion's Choice partnership

Meal donation app comes to KC: How the phone-eats-first foodie photo trend can help fight hunger

By Tommy Felts / March 26, 2021

People are already taking photos of their food — why not donate to food banks at the same time, Andrew Glantz proposed.  “GiftAMeal is a free mobile app; each time someone takes a photo of their order from one of our partner restaurants, we make a donation to a local food bank to help give…

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Adam Roush, Jeff Wigh, and Justin Ferrell, ChessUp

Checkmate: Inventors’ high-tech chess board unlocks worthy opponent for rookies to rooks

By Tommy Felts / March 26, 2021

An Overland Park-built connected gaming startup is making moves that run the queen’s gambit  — approaching nearly $1 million in crowdfunding and unveiling its mission to make STEM-focused games more approachable. “I think a lot of kids and adults lose interest right away in something like a Rubik’s cube or chess — because it’s difficult,” explained Jeff…

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Jy Maze, Maze Freight Solutions

Secret sauce called faith: How being Black, religion and mentors shaped Jy Maze, kept her startup from failing

By Tommy Felts / March 23, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has not been the only hurdle for Maze Freight Solutions, said Jy Maze, and it certainly won’t be the last.  “People think because you’re a CEO of a company that everything is gravy. No one knows about the bloody knees from praying, the begging for money, nobody giving you a shot —…

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Brian Roberts, The Black Pantry

Black Pantry coming to Midtown: Boutique for Black-owned essentials opening storefront in shared space with Made in KC

By Tommy Felts / March 23, 2021

When an opportunity pops up, make it permanent, said Brian Roberts, teasing the opening next month of The Black Pantry’s first brick-and-mortar storefront. The 650-square-foot space on the revitalized Martini Corner in Midtown is expected to open in early April: the product of an evolving partnership with the team at Made in KC. Roberts originally…

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BeastModeMac, Kansas City Pioneers

Building to billions: Inside KC’s premier esports team’s vision to reboot entertainment, game the future

By Tommy Felts / March 23, 2021

All eyes were on the Kansas City Pioneers this weekend, as the esports gamers logged more than 500,000 viewers across various streaming platforms during a series of matches against some of the biggest competitors in the world. “In just one match alone, we had more than 160,000 people watching us play and engaging in the…

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