Tag: Regnier Institute

End-of-life care platform wins top UMKC prize in young startup’s first-ever pitch competition 

By Tommy Felts / April 29, 2023

Serving as someone’s informal caregiver is a rewarding experience, but the pressure of being fully responsible for taking care of a loved one can take a toll on a person physically and mentally, acknowledged Nicole Staab and Rachel Blankenship. Through their startup, Rings of Care KC, they are providing support and resources for informal caregivers…

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UMKC pitch contest returning with $90K in prizes; spots remain for emerging startups

By Tommy Felts / March 29, 2023

The 2023 edition of the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge (RVCC), an annual pitch competition hosted by UMKC, is expected to award $90,000 in equity-free funding to student entrepreneurs and Kansas City businesses. Ben Williams, managing director at the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, shared his excitement for this year’s event — set for April…

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After exit: How Rx Savings Solutions’ $875M sale could mean opportunity for KC (even if details aren’t yet clear)

By Tommy Felts / October 4, 2022

The years after a headline-grabbing acquisition can mean a “jump ball” for the ecosystem where the startup was grown, said Jeff Hornsby, acknowledging the various outcomes ahead when a hometown company gets new owners. Possibilities range from massive community reinvestment to staffing reductions and all-out relocation, though such moves aren’t mutually exclusive. “They may say…

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Brad Starnes, Splitsy

Splitting time between student, entrepreneur lives earns Splitsy co-founder top UMKC honor

By Tommy Felts / February 10, 2022

Recognition as UMKC’s Student Entrepreneur of the Year is a reminder that innovators often begin early, said Brad Starnes, one of Kansas City’s most-talked-about emerging young startup founders. “When I was about 8 years old, I submitted a drawing to an engineering firm,” said the co-founder of Splitsy, a bill splitting app that launched its…

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Alec Rodgers Betty Rae's Ice Cream

Why Betty Rae’s new owner traded a finance career for waffle cones; ice cream shop reopens Monday

By Tommy Felts / March 11, 2021

Reopening Betty Rae’s Ice Cream could prove as risky for Alec Rodgers’ waistline as his wallet, the 23-year-old employee-turned-owner jokingly suggested — smiling as he looked across the River Market shop with a mix of nostalgia and youthful exuberance. His eyes lit up as he recalled the rich memory of discovering his own favorite flavor:…

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