Startups

Resonate Pictures

Homegrown Resonate Pictures cultivates corporate market through creative risks

By Tommy Felts / July 25, 2018

The same creative energy reverberating through cities like Los Angeles, New York City and Portland can be found in Kansas City, said Marc Havener, the filmmaker behind Lawrence-based Resonate Pictures. His message for fellow creatives: “We can make this back home.” After 10 years on the sets of blockbuster movies like “Pirates of the Caribbean,”…

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Happy Food

Happy Food gathers ingredients for nationwide grocery platform, meal-locating app

By Tommy Felts / July 24, 2018

Happy Food Co. has grown beyond distributing flavorful meal kits through small, standalone coolers at Kansas City-area Price Chopper and Hen House locations, said chef and co-founder Kiersten Firquain. The 2017 Startland Under the Radar startup has now developed a software platform — in partnership with retailers nationwide and 75 local vendors — to enable grocers…

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Porch Light

Porch Light Plans hopes to bring durable, affordable home design to the masses

By Tommy Felts / July 23, 2018

Modern homes should be durable and well-designed enough to last hundreds of years, said Katie Hoke. Lawrence-based Porch Light Plans combines sleek aesthetics with thicker insulation and fewer windows to achieve a contemporary housing option with the potential to slash utility bills in half, said Hoke co-founder of the boutique architectural design firm. “If every…

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WYCO

WYCO sunglasses customizes KC cool for a brightly-colored nationwide vision

By Tommy Felts / July 23, 2018

Kasey Skala frames WYCO as a Kansas City brand ready to look beyond county or state boundaries, he said. “I think it’s great that we started here in the Midwest. We’re proud of being a Midwest brand, growing it here and taking [advantage of] what Kansas City has to offer,” said Skala, WYCO chief marketing…

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Now in new Crossroads space, Rightfully Sewn prepares to welcome male sewists (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / July 20, 2018

The secret to any startup venture is to move forward one stitch at a time, said Rightfully Sewn founder Jennifer Lapka. “Start small, struggle, have success, then scale,” she said, quoting one of her many mentors. Freshly moved into a 2,200-square-foot atelier, or design studio, at 1800 Wyandotte St. in the Crossroads, Rightfully Sewn is…

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