LEANLAB awards $50K in seed grants to 19 Black and Latinx innovators in education

Entrepreneurs should reflect the communities they serve, said Katie Boody — a charge even more critical when innovative work touches Kansas City’s diverse public school systems, she added. “I know firsthand how challenging launching a startup can be for anyone, and especially for founders of color,” said Boody, co-founder and CEO of LEANLAB Education, announcing the…

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Even gatekeepers struggle to bring KC’s women-led companies in from the cold

Female entrepreneurs are falling behind as a new generation of highly-scalable startups rises in the Kansas City, said Darcy Howe, reporting too few women-led firms even approaching KCRise Fund for investment. [pullquote] Editor’s note: The following is part of three-piece package, Women’s Work: Startups fueled by female founders struggle for equity. • Founder facing gender bias:…

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KCultivator Q&A: Pennez’s Rebecca Dove on pushing past a world that says ‘No’

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by WeWork Corrigan Station, a modern twist on Kansas City office space. Pennez is working to combat childhood illiteracy by bringing its technology to after-school programming, said founder Rebecca Dove. The…

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Pennez wants to turn the page on youth illiteracy with AI app

If you’re reading this, congratulations, you’re literate. Statistically, this is something to be proud of as 773.5 million people are illiterate around the world. It also means that you’re more likely to have a higher-paying job and be able to more fully participate in society. Rebecca Dove, a former elementary school teacher, saw first-hand that…

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