Woman-led

NXTSTAGE announces trio of KC ventures tapped for latest Enterprise Engagement cohort

By Tommy Felts / July 31, 2024

A record number of Kansas entrepreneurs joining the NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series means the program’s latest cohort will scale up its impact, said Amber Dunn. “It’s exciting to witness the relationships formed and the knowledge gained among cohort members and our enterprise partners, both new and returning,” said Dunn, program manager at Wichita-based NXTUS, which…

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This startup leader is revealing entrepreneur answers (and they’re listed in the table of contents)

By Tommy Felts / July 31, 2024

Aligning the stars as a forward-looking founder and business owner isn’t easy, Maria Flynn noted, so she wrote her own guidebook. “Entrepreneurs are my tribe of people,” said Flynn, a serial founder and regional digital health leader. “And I was telling the same stories over and over again, so I started to write them down.…

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Resilience pays off as retail incubator opens doors; Meet the first featured founders at PHKC

By Tommy Felts / July 27, 2024

Launching a retail incubator in Midtown Kansas City — a physical space targeted for overlooked and under-resourced entrepreneurs — The Porter House KC faced many of the same challenges as emerging small businesses, said Miranda Schultz, but ultimately the effort made it to opening day. “It’s been nice to go through our own trial and…

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Pitch prize puts founders closer to building their utopia; How KCMO is backing entrepreneurs who do the right thing

By Tommy Felts / July 26, 2024

Hearing the personal reasons behind judges’ support for her business at the “Do The Right Thing” social impact pitch competition provides much-needed validation for Utopia Point, said Shereese Hameed-Muhammad. The business — launched by Patricia McCreary and Hameed-Muhammad to redesign the geriatric and disabled care community in Kansas City and beyond — was the overwhelming favorite…

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Lawmakers announce $500K federal grant for KC BioHub, tout region’s job creation, innovation

By Tommy Felts / July 26, 2024

Kansas City’s “top-notch” research capabilities and talented workforce prove the region is ready to lead the country in innovation, said Sharice Davids, revealing news that the local Tech Hubs initiative would receive another $500,000 in federal funding. The award for the Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Tech Hub (KC BioHub) comes less than a…

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