Latest Stories
New playbook details: With matches set, World Cup business opportunities come into focus for KC
Host city organizers drop game plans for KC entrepreneurs navigating World Cup Argentina, the Netherlands, and other teams playing in Kansas City during the 2026 FIFA World Cup games are bringing their own playbooks to the City of Fountains next spring. Local organizers want the region’s small businesses and organizations to be just as prepared…
KC Current sets new name, spring openings for waterfront restaurants, town square
Kansas City’s new $1 billion waterfront district is expected to open core elements of the mixed use development near the KC Current’s stadium — including hotly anticipated restaurants and the first phase of residences — before the World Cup arrives in June 2026, officials announced Friday. Developers of the district also revealed its new name:…
Bless-tested: 6-year-old’s first instinct was to help; now she wants to bag more impact
When Ava-Rochelle Woodard rides through Kansas City with her parents, the 6-year-old pays attention. She notices people walking along the road, and when Ava sees someone who might need help, she asks a question that has grown into a community effort. “Do we have a bag in the car?” asks Ava, founder of Today’s Your…
Lesser-known sales tax faces pivotal 2026 vote, opportunity to define its next chapter
Editor’s note: The following details the Kansas City’s Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax initiative within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. EDCKC is a paid partner of Startland News. A decade-long experiment in east side investment is entering a new crucible as Kansas City’s CCED sales tax district heads toward a quiet…
A tree older than the US is dying in KC’s Northeast; here’s how an entrepreneur honored its energy, Indigenous roots
Trees are among humans’ most sacred relatives, said Alex Villalobos-McAnderson, a Shawnee-based energy medicine practitioner who noted that connections to the earth run deep even amid the turbulence of modern life and political uncertainty. The 250-year-old oak tree in Kansas City’s historic Northeast — set to be cut down in January because of fungal root…
New MTC board chair aims to be ‘force for innovation’ as entrepreneur support agency navigates transition
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. As Allen Dillingham steps into the role of board chairman for the Missouri…
‘You never know who’s watching’: Small Business Superstars celebrate being seen
Athena Printing opened its doors with a mission to give artists a local place to produce work without giving up control of the process. Just months later, the fine art printing studio is already making an impression — finding itself among hundreds of Kansas City businesses recognized as Small Business Superstars. Such affirmation of the…
Pitch competition winner says funds will help scale impact for neurodiverse children, their parents
Ivory Duncan teared up thinking about all the neurodiverse young people and their parents that she can champion now that she’s won $6,000 in the most recent pitch competition from The Porter House KC. The founder of Embracing Neuro-Diversity — a former educator and assistant principal — is building bridges between homes and schools to…
NXTUS launches pilot competition for startups in Northwest Arkansas, fueled by $500K Walton grant
WICHITA — A Kansas-built innovation program is hitting the road — applying its successful model to Northwest Arkansas in a bid to expand growth opportunities for more early-stage companies and make the region a proving ground for technology that boosts health and economic vitality. Wichita-based NXTUS this week announced HealthCatalyst NWA, a pilot initiative that aims…
Kauffman’s first ‘Uncommon Leader’ seeks dignity, empathy and humanity in care for KC’s most vulnerable
Earning the spotlight Thursday as the Kauffman Foundation’s first Uncommon Leader award winner, Dr. Rachel Melson paused to enjoy a moment of hope in a year filled with urgent need, she said. Launched to honor Kansas City community members who are creating lasting change through bold and compassionate action, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Uncommon…
