Tag: Darcy Howe

KCSF STARTLAND

KCSF rebrands to ‘STARTLAND’ and bolsters board, reflecting maturation of organization, ecosystem, leaders say

By Tommy Felts / November 13, 2019

A rebranding and name change for the Kansas City Startup Foundation will see the entrepreneurial community-building organization build on the legacy of Startland News while continuing to grow its education and talent programming. Now operating as STARTLAND, the organization still boasts its most-widely recognized programs — Startland News, MECA Challenge and Back2KC — which also have…

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Jeff Jones, H&R Block

H&R Block’s $2M investment in KCRise Fund: Corporate engagement can’t stop with one check, CEO says

By Tommy Felts / October 7, 2019

Entrepreneurial energy surrounding such startups as Bungii and PayIt made a $2 million investment in the KCRise Fund an easy choice for Jeff Jones and his team at H&R Block, the high-profile CEO said.  “When we think about the different pillars of how we want to give back to the community, taking a stake in…

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John Bertrand, Daupler, Techstars Kansas City 2018 Demo Day

KCRise Fund launches second fund; first investments in backstitch, Bungii, Daupler

By Tommy Felts / August 21, 2019

KCRise Fund today announced the launch of its second fund — KCRise Fund II — along with three new investments in high-growth, early-stage Kansas City tech companies. Backstitch, Bungii and Daupler are the latest startups to join the KCRise Fund family, and the first three portfolio companies for the new fund. All three are featured…

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Ron LeMay, Main Street Data, Open Air Equity Partners

Startup, investor, corporate worlds collide; Ron LeMay’s message for KC: Sit down and talk

By Tommy Felts / June 7, 2019

Ron LeMay wasn’t willing to watch entrepreneurs flee Kansas City to build their game-changing companies on the coasts, he recalled. “That’s a prescription for disaster over time,” LeMay, CEO of Main Street Data and managing director of Open Air Equity Partners, said of the way he viewed entrepreneurial progress in the City of Fountains as…

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Back2KC Kansas City Startup Foundation

New home for Back2KC: Kansas City Startup Foundation expands talent pipeline efforts

By Tommy Felts / May 21, 2019

It’s the Kansas City Startup Foundation’s turn to drive the tour bus, said Darcy Howe, announcing Monday the transfer of the Back2KC talent pipeline initiative to KCSF, the nonprofit ecosystem-building organization that also powers Startland News. The move means KCSF will take ownership of the program for its Oct. 3-4 return, adding a full-time team…

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