Startups

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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Mental reps and truth bombs: How this AI ‘coach-in-your-pocket’ strength trains minds before life’s hardest workouts

By Tommy Felts / August 26, 2025

Building mental resilience should feel as natural as going to the gym, said Craig Mason, noting his new venture flexes a “performance psychologist, coach in your pocket, 24/7.”  The emphasis: training the mind before crises hit. “Myndset is really designed to be a mental strength training platform,” said Mason, founder of the Kansas City-based startup.…

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LISTEN: How this startup helps brands ditch plastic without disrupting manufacturing

By Tommy Felts / August 22, 2025

On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we sit down with Anthony Musumeci — CEO of Earthodic — to explore the future of sustainable packaging. Discover how Earthodic’s flagship product, Biobarc, delivers water-resistant, recyclable paper coatings made entirely from bio-based ingredients — closing the loop on waste without sacrificing…

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Startup Crawl returns Sept. 19, marking Startland’s 10-year anniversary with KC innovation focus

By Tommy Felts / August 19, 2025

Kansas City’s largest startup open house is back this fall — celebrating a decade of innovation alongside emerging builders and newsmakers. Set for Sept.19 and organized by Startland News, Startup Crawl will mark the newsroom’s 10-year anniversary with a high-energy showcase of the city’s entrepreneurial community. The event, presented by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation,…

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Innovation Fest pitch winner touts unexpected treat: growing his animal health startup in Kansas

By Tommy Felts / August 13, 2025

Emmanuel Bijaoui’s first time in Kansas — for Tuesday’s Innovation Festival and onboarding for the incoming Plug and Play Topeka cohort — has left the Treat Therapeutics founder with a lasting impression of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, he shared. “We always talk about the Animal Health Corridor,” he said after winning the festival’s BioKansas Startup…

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