Woman-led

Bearded Fellas

Bearded Fellas shave away ‘just a doll’ — leaving the beauty of everyday magic, people

By Tommy Felts / October 22, 2021

Ali Bustos didn’t even know how to sew when she was gifted a sewing machine by her parents in 2008. More preoccupied with painting at the time, the machine sat mostly unused.  But when her first son was born, it was difficult to paint with a wiggly baby in her arms, she said.  Her yearning…

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Clarence Tan and Edna Martinson, Boddle Learning

Boddle raises $1.35M with KCRise Fund on board, reaches 450,000+ students, expands team

By Tommy Felts / October 21, 2021

Editor’s note: KCRise Fund is a financial supporter of Startland News. This report was produced independently of that relationship. TULSA — As schools across the country navigate in-person and remote learning models, Boddle Learning, a math gaming platform that was founded in Kansas City continues to grow, raising another round of more than $1 million…

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Fresh Factory KC, India Wells-Carter; Cafe Cà Phê, Jackie Nguyen; Heart and Seoul, Rachel Cayetano; Peak Roofing - Mechanical, Jade Teixeira

Meet 10 finalists for AltCap Your Biz pitch payout; competition returns during GEW KC

By Tommy Felts / October 19, 2021

A diverse group of nearly a dozen small businesses are advancing to the next round of the annual AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition with finalists ranging from a mobile vegan soul food service to a Northland selfie experience. The “Closing the Deal” live pitch event showcases the 10 best concepts from a pool of 43…

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Zachary Oshinbanjo, Vetelligence, Pure Pitch Rally

Just funded: Sharks, crowd salute veteran-led tech newcomer with $32K in Pure Pitch Rally checks

By Tommy Felts / October 19, 2021

A fresh face to the startup stage, Zachary Oshinbanjo left Monday’s Pure Pitch Rally with the most-funded venture of the event — taking home more than a third of the day’s nearly $90,000 in cash prizes. A U.S. Army veteran, Oshinbanjo pitched “land sharks” on Vetelligence — a tech platform that aims to create a…

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Recyclverse products

Fund Me, KC: UMKC alums aim to transform recycled plastics into functional home décor

By Tommy Felts / October 15, 2021

Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like Nicole Dover and Tony Jordan, and their newly launched venture, Recyclverse — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially…

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