Woman-led

$50K inclusion grant to KCMO a step toward ‘most entrepreneurial city’ for everyone

Kansas City, Missouri, pocketed a major win for the entrepreneurial community Wednesday, becoming one of 10 cities in the nation to be selected for the City Accelerator initiative for inclusive contract procurement. The city will receive a $50,000 grant by the Citi Foundations and Living Cities to increase the opportunities for firms owned by people…

Harold Hess, Enduralock, second from left, at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, The Hague, Netherlands

Nuts and bolts: Lenexa-forged Enduralock tech catches the eye of NASA, Shell

A Lenexa-based startup is gathering accolades faster than a SpaceX rocket’s methane-fueled full flow staged combustion cycle. “Investors definitely see something unique that is brewing here in Kansas City, so we are excited to represent the area,” said Diana Greenberg, COO and co-founder of Enduralock. Founded in 2014, Enduralock is one of 10 finalist tech…

Katie Boody, LEANLAB Education Leanlab Gates Foundation

LEANLAB earns another top-tier funder with $76K+ grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A hefty new grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will allow LEANLAB Education to expand its incoming 2019 K12 Fellowship from six to 10 innovation teams, Katie Boody said. The $76,500 in funding also allows the education accelerator to grow beyond pilot sites to form the Visionary School Network and award honorariums to…

The Rainbow Crossing, Utrecht, Netherlands, photo by Tayla Kohler

Pride underfoot: Founder’s rainbow crosswalk movement met with resistance

KC PrideFest 2019 has come and gone, but one voice in Kansas City’s startup community is advocating for a year-around symbol of LGBTQ+ support. “I want something that’s going to be more permanent than a sticker on the streetcar,” said Brandon Love, referencing the recently unveiled KC streetcar that sports a wraparound rainbow design. “That’s…

Clarence Tan, Boddle Learning

LaunchKC winner Boddle Learning scores $100K AT&T Aspire investment, accelerator

Kansas City-based Boddle Learning is filling with steam as the startup gains momentum and joins the AT&T-fronted Aspire accelerator, Clarence Tan revealed Wednesday. “When we found out we were finalists, we were super, super happy,” Tan, founder and CEO, said of the lead-up to official word of Boddle’s selection for the San Francisco-based program. “They…