Woman-led

Plug And Play launch event at the Kansas Statehouse

Plug and Play: Global accelerator could unify animal health corridor, grow Topeka’s startup ecosystem

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. TOPEKA…

Sean Rad, Tinder; and Sarah Hill, StoryUp Studios

Tinder founder boards advisory team as StoryUP closes oversubscribed $1M+ round

Building a global company requires boots on the ground, Sarah Hill said as she waited to board a flight to Kansas City, hours after the close of her startup’s first million-dollar funding round. “Once the Kansas City investors hopped in, that’s when it came to be oversubscribed — we were just delighted,” said Hill, founder…

Launch Health Accelerator 2019 cohort

Women-led Kansas City companies fuel Launch Health accelerator’s first cohort

Healthcare needs an overhaul and four Kansas City-area companies are among those poised to disrupt the industry as part of the first Launch Health Accelerator cohort, explained Jeremy Tasset.  “Through the health accelerator, we were seeking companies with fresh ideas that give rise to improving care and lowering costs that can be readily integrated into…

Green Bee Tea Towels

From maker to CEO: Green Bee founder turned KC resources into a brand buzzing online, in stores

When the inventory of vintage goods Rena Krouse sold online started to dwindle, her entrepreneurial roots helped her recreate history.  “I grew a huge Instagram following and they would get irritated when I would run out of certain things,” Krouse, CEO of Green Bee Tea Towels, said in explanation of how her maker’s journey began. …

Graham Dodge, Sickweather patent

Startup leader exits Sickweather CEO role to lead East Coast tech incubator

Serial entrepreneur Graham Dodge is headed back to the East Coast to lead a tech incubator after exiting his position as CEO of Sickweather, one of the KC-based Sprint Accelerator’s early success stories. “I will be moving back to Maryland for MAGIC [the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory], but my goal is to stay connected with…