Startups

KC Pioneers scored Kansas City a spot on the ‘gaming wave’; why this pro esports teams views its hometown as a championship asset

By Tommy Felts / September 27, 2024

In the globe-spanning esports market, most of the top competitive gaming teams keep their hometown — if they have one — ambiguous to the public. With the industry expected to touch 1 billion people worldwide by 2029 and players untethered to physical locations, it’s simply an unimportant biographical detail to many. And potentially limiting for others.…

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Just funded: Digital Sandbox KC drops the hook for three more emerging tech startups

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2024

From optimizing trucking logistics to revolutionizing peer-to-peer recommendations and streamlining compliance with AI, the latest startups funded by Digital Sandbox KC are poised to make a significant impact in their industries, said Jill Meyer.  “We’ve been truly impressed by the expertise and passion these founders bring to the table,” said Meyer, senior director of Technology…

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Exited founders: Face the tough conversations first; avoid a messy post-honeymoon breakup

By Tommy Felts / September 17, 2024

Preparing for an exit begins with co-founder alignment at the startup’s launch, three veteran Kansas City founders agreed. “You are getting married to your founders,” explained Tony Caudill, who co-founded two tech startups with his best friend — including aware3, which was acquired in 2018 by Nelnet. “Just like when you find your mate of…

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KC pet tech startup fetches $120K Techstars investment, taking founder’s pitch to Atlanta

By Tommy Felts / September 12, 2024

As Kansas City-built Interplay prepares to bring its debut product to market, the pet tech startup is getting a jolt of new energy from one of the nation’s top accelerator programs. The timing couldn’t be better, said founder Jonaie Johnson, announcing Interplay’s acceptance into Techstars Atlanta & New Orleans Powered by J.P. Morgan, which welcomed…

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KC founder’s hip hop edtech app for children, families earns earns $50K in 5G innovation competition

By Tommy Felts / September 11, 2024

A grants program focused on boosting social entrepreneurs — traditionally underfunded women and persons of color — who are using 5G wireless innovation to address pressing community challenges this week awarded a $50,000 prize to Kansas City startup Healthy Hip Hop for its work on child literacy. Catalyst — a competitive grants initiative by the Washington,…

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