Woman-led

Potential innovation district site, Go Topeka

Developers plotting innovation district sites in state capital as Go Topeka creates animal health, ag hub

By Tommy Felts / June 29, 2020

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. [divide]…

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Stone Cole, Jasmine Baudler, Amber Baudler, and Cassie Florido, Stellar Image Studios

Double exposure: How quick action streamed a stellar survival story for sister-led film studio

By Tommy Felts / June 26, 2020

When Kansas City’s event scene went dark in the early days of the pandemic, Stellar Image Studios seized a lights-camera-action opportunity to add new value to a suddenly virtual world, said Jasmine Baudler.  “I encourage people not to cancel their virtual events or their fundraisers or galas because — even though it’s hard — it’s…

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Spark KC

First look: Excitement builds as Spark KC nears summer coworking debut at Two Light

By Tommy Felts / June 25, 2020

As Kyla Bradley closed the door to a 22-person suite within the new Spark Kansas City coworking space, the sound of ongoing construction on the first two floors of Two Light nearly vanished. “It’s not technically ‘sound-proofed’ in here,” she said with a smile, noting a dramatic reduction in noise within the customizable, three-room office…

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A.J. Mellott and Heather Decker, Ronawk

Ronawk cultivates first funding round, fight against COVID-19 from new Olathe lab 

By Tommy Felts / June 25, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to wage war on the world, researchers in an Olathe-based lab are generating trillions of human cells that could be used to cure the ever-lingering virus.  “It eliminates a lot of the work that’s needed,” A.J. Mellott, president and co-founder of Ronawk, said of the health tech startup’s premiere product — Tissue Blocks…

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Wheyward Spirit

Farm to flask: Spirit made from dairy byproduct aims to craft its own herd the right whey

By Tommy Felts / June 20, 2020

Wheyward Spirit is about mixing more than a tasty tonic, said Emily Darchuk, creator of a whey-based alcohol that uses the liquid byproduct of making dairy products for a sustainable sip. “We’re doing things differently for the right reasons in creating a flavorful spirit that’s good enough to sip straight, but it’s also taking a…

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