Tag: Brad Feld

How KC transformed entrepreneurship from counterculture into a model for the mainstream

By Tommy Felts / July 25, 2025

Veteran ecosystem builders returned to the Heartland this week, urging a new generation of entrepreneur advocates to embrace Kansas City’s style of experimentation and its uniquely collaborative startup culture. “Entrepreneurship is not spreadsheets and business plans,” said Jonathan Ortmans, who founded the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) — the nonprofit parent of Global Entrepreneurship Week —…

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The Brad Feld Challenge for Startland News' Give A Start donor campaign

Techstars co-founder Brad Feld launches $25K matching gift for Startland News donor campaign

By Tommy Felts / October 14, 2020

Editor’s note: The following is an update to Startland News’ Give A Start — an eight-week donor campaign seeking reader support for the nonprofit newsroom. Click here to donate. One week into Startland News’ donor campaign — the nonprofit newsroom’s first big ask for readers’ financial support — the digital publication is announcing the Brad Feld Challenge. Brad Feld —…

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Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars, author, serial entrepreneur; Techstars Kansas City virtual demo day 2020

Diversity is a ‘culture add’ — not a quota to be ‘fit’ within a startup, Brad Feld tells Techstars KC demo day 

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2020

Inserting diverse individuals into an existing startup culture might seem like a step toward inclusive team building, but it can actually hurt scalability if that diversity is treated like a bug, not a feature, said Lesa Mitchell, referencing a new book by the co-founder of Techstars. Celebrating the culmination of Techstars Kansas City’s relaunched accelerator…

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Stephen Ajayi and Samuel Ajayi, PocketMentor

Techstars KC doubles down on virtual demo day with 1-minute pitches, Brad Feld panel

By Tommy Felts / August 12, 2020

Since COVID-19 kept members of Techstars Kansas City’s 2020 cohort from visiting the City of Fountains during the three-month accelerator, an Aug. 27 virtual demo day will be as much a meet-and-greet with the startups as a pitch event for potential investors, said Lesa Mitchell. “Our cohort didn’t ever come to KC. That was horrible…

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Wrap up: Miss FUND Conference Kansas City? Don’t forget to craft your narrative

By Tommy Felts / November 5, 2019

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Brandon Warrington is an attorney at Husch Blackwell in Omaha. This op-ed is sponsored by Husch Blackwell. Kansas City’s inaugural FUND Conference buzzed with startups and emerging companies, from social ventures still in the ideation phase to companies having just finished their Series…

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