Tag: Sam Hasty

Erin Papworth, Navit

Are venture-seeking women, minority founders at an unfair disadvantage in KC?

By Tommy Felts / December 19, 2019

Editor’s note: The following is the second in a series of analyses of Startland’s list of Kansas City’s Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies. On stage with a handful of men, Erin Papworth faced a dilemma. The founder of Nav.It — one of the startups to recently complete Fountain City Fintech’s second accelerator cohort — found herself fighting…

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OHUB needs whole community to achieve vision of ecosystem inclusion, leaders say 

By Tommy Felts / November 21, 2019

Opportunity Hub isn’t an exclusive club, said Rodney Sampson. “What I would like to see is greater collaboration with the existing players already on the ground,” explained Sampson, founder of the Opportunity Hub (OHUB), noting that his organization’s goal to foster entrepreneurship within Kansas City’s minority communities doesn’t mean animosity toward the broader startup landscape.  …

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Crystal German, Prosperity Labs, Startland's Innovation Exchange

Innovation versus inclusive prosperity: Can hub developers create both in Kansas City?

By Tommy Felts / August 22, 2019

Place and prosperity go hand-in-hand, said William Dowdell. Less clear, however, is how developers and communities will strike a balance in their efforts to generate innovation and wealth in Kansas City. “Geography is a big part of this. When we talk about expanding opportunity and bringing innovation, we also have to look at those spaces…

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