Just funded: Four new Digital Sandbox KC companies scaling products beyond survival mode

By Tommy Felts | March 30, 2023

Freshly announced funding from Digital Sandbox KC is expected to help four Kansas City startups scale their innovations to market with additional access to investors, resources and a growing network of fellow entrepreneurs. Among the first-quarter Sandbox recipients, Basehor-based Mpruv Sports plans to use the new backing as it releases a series of peer-to-peer, on-demand,…

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Two UMKC-linked research teams earn Comeback KC Ventures funding for COVID innovations

By Tommy Felts | January 23, 2023

Two research teams tied to the University of Missouri-Kansas City have received proof-of-concept funding support through Comeback KC Ventures and will take the next step toward bringing their innovations from the university lab to market to solve problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding program announced. Funds from Comeback KC Ventures focus on the…

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Survival rates for new biz in MO, KS lag national average; What’s getting in their way?

By Tommy Felts | May 26, 2022

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by Flatland, the digital magazine of Kansas City PBS and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for the weekly Flatland email newsletter. [divide] Colorful balloons, ribbons, unlimited drinks, food and of course music. There was everything at the ribbon…

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When a global health crisis exposed ‘broken’ systems, these KC startups jabbed back

By Tommy Felts | May 21, 2022

Patients need easier access to their medical records, said Saroj Gupta, stressing the life-threatening outcomes for individuals who might miss important vaccinations — or erroneously obtain multiple doses — because of poor or hard-to-find documentation. “We call ourselves a developed country, but our healthcare system is so broken,” said Saroj Gupta, the founder and CEO…

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