Startups

10 top event picks for GEWKC; build your own schedule from 60+ sessions

By Tommy Felts / November 14, 2025

With dozens of events on the calendar for GEWKC, Union Station will be bustling with activity, said Callie England, noting organizers intentionally curated a week where attendees can’t go wrong — no matter how they fill out their itinerary. “While the schedule can feel full, it’s truly the best of the best,” said England, director of…

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How AI changes the the founder code: ‘This is all moving faster than anyone expected’

By Tommy Felts / November 14, 2025

New tech opportunities — like artificial intelligence — hold the potential to equalize the Kansas City region among more established startup hubs, investment leaders said Thursday, but to fully take advantage, entrepreneurs who want strong, lasting companies must have a fire inside them. Not to mention grit. “Several really incredible entrepreneurs said, ‘I think the one…

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‘This is the dream’: Starty Party turns up the volume on Kansas City tech, collaboration (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / November 13, 2025

It isn’t a party without the people, said organizers of the Starty Party, gathering a crowd of startup veterans, early stage founders, investors and community leaders Wednesday for a one-night celebration of innovation — set against the backdrop of homegrown music and vibes. “This is amazing,” said Melissa Vincent, CEO of Pipeline Entrepreneurs, from the Starty…

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KC-built app locks down vulnerable users’ data before they can share it with online scammers

By Tommy Felts / November 11, 2025

He’s a startup founder today, but a protective brother first, said Danny Moran, describing how his sister with special needs motivated the launch of an app to protect vulnerable people engaging in a digital world too often filled with bad actors. “She’s been scammed online multiple times over the past 10 years, causing significant financial…

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Fusing talent, passion: Serial founder trades his Screamin Cow for offshore talent hiring platform 

By Tommy Felts / November 6, 2025

Brad Starnes’ itch to lean into a newly realized pain point at the end of 2024 led to the acquisition of his Screamin Cow Marketing Group and the launch of another passion project, the former UMKC Student Entrepreneur of the Year shared. With the move — which sees Screamin Cow transitioned to Builders of Authority…

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