Tag: UpDown Nightlife

2022 Pipeline fellows

Meet the new 2022 Pipeline fellows building ‘breakout’ startups and poised for rapid scale

By Tommy Felts / January 27, 2022

Persistence frequently pays off, said James West, reacting to his selection for Pipeline’s latest fellowship. The Lawrence biotech founder applied to join the elite entrepreneur network off and on since 2011 — and is now among 13 new fellows. “To finally get accepted is recognition of the work and progress I’ve made in the last few…

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Pipeline unveils first-ever double cohort in bid to develop region’s next great serial entrepreneur

By Tommy Felts / January 27, 2022

Twenty-five founders are entering the Pipeline network this week, Melissa Vincent said Thursday, revealing the newest additions to its elite fellowship, as well as the just-debuted Pathfinder cohort for earlier-stage, underserved entrepreneurs. “We were blown away by the response,” said Vincent, executive director of Pipeline, noting the fall 2021 recruiting period was the most vigorous…

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Angels in class: How Mizzou’s student-run venture course is investing up to $50K in real startups

By Tommy Felts / November 13, 2021

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. COLUMBIA,…

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UpDown Nightlife team

UpDown Nightlife caps $500K seed round with party bus partnership; app to launch this month

By Tommy Felts / August 4, 2021

Building an app centered on nightlife and in-person entertainment during a pandemic requires intense focus and intentionality every step of the way, Joshua Lewis said.  “It’s been a slow and steady walk to the app launch,” said the founder of UpDown Nightlife — an app that connects consumers to local bars, clubs and entertainment. “With…

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Valentine Osakwe and Zerryn Gines, Peep Connect

How challenging norms could be Black founders’ key to overcoming lingering funding gap

By Tommy Felts / January 5, 2021

When authenticity and startup culture collide, Black founders and entrepreneurs of color often don’t see the same opportunities as their white counterparts, said Daniel Smith, contributing to a gap in funding that splits along racial lines. “I talk a certain way; I have different mannerisms; I like to dress a certain kind of way —…

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