Still in the game: 16 startups advance in Kansas pitch tournament; courting a new style of seed funding

By Tommy Felts | March 17, 2025

WICHITA — And then there were 16. Monday’s pitch competition announcement served up sweet news for more than a dozen Kansas startups as local founders learned they’re advancing in the Gamechangers & Champions “Bracket Bash for Innovators and Angels” — a tournament-style event set to end with a $20,000 grand prize. The just-released list of…

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Industrial tech leaders fuel ‘fire of innovation’ with startup mentality, partnerships

By Tommy Felts | September 30, 2023

Getting foundational industries — like construction, manufacturing, and energy — to innovate isn’t easy, shared corporate leaders from three regional heavy hitters. “Everybody loves change,” joked Dustin Burns, vice president of innovation at McCownGordon. “They’re just asking for more change to be dumped on them all the time.” “In my experience, a lot of clients…

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PLOT digs into commercialization with $2M round, earns backing from KCRise Fund

By Tommy Felts | June 5, 2023

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 Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures (EGV), a business unit of NetWork Kansas supporting innovative, high-growth entrepreneurs in the State of Kansas. [divide] WICHITA — A Wichita-based…

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