$100K in microgrants awarded across 23 struggling, but resilient minority businesses

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial sponsor of Startland News. This report was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. [divide] A COVID-era resiliency fund that quickly closed applications after receiving a deluge of response from entrepreneurs in need has awarded microgrants to 23 minority businesses on both sides of the…

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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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Digital Sandbox KC deploys funding to four new startups as uncertainty becomes ‘new normal’

Startup leaders’ needs — and the development of their ideas — don’t stop with the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), said Jill Meyer, announcing the latest round of funding selections for Digital Sandbox KC. “We know our entrepreneurs are facing so much uncertainty in this current situation,” said Meyer, senior director of technology ventures at the UMKC…

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