Austin Barnes
Executive Editor, Startland News
Austin is a growth-focused business strategist with deep roots in media and storytelling. As executive editor, he leads Startland’s revenue generation, partnership strategy, and market expansion— aligning mission-driven journalism with scalable business models.
With over a decade of experience spanning media, brand development, and strategic communications, Austin has helped grow Startland’s reach beyond Kansas City, launching new monetization efforts and driving engagement with more than 700,000 readers each year. His work bridges entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable growth —positioning Startland as a national model for community-centered media.
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
How can KC get to a $400M+ exit? Hire smart and just survive, says founder of startup acquired by H&R Block
A year after Wave’s $405 million acquisition by H&R Block, the company’s co-founder acknowledges the Toronto startup’s story seems like something of a fintech fairytale — with the happy end of one chapter perhaps overshadowing the struggles in the pages before it. “This won’t be true for everybody, but what we found was — just stay…
Esports group acquires Local Legends, signaling gaming growth in flyover country
A pipeline for Plains states gamers has been opened with the acquisition of Local Legends Gaming by the Unified Esports Association (UEA). “We’ve been working Esports together for about a year and a half and kind of just realized that we have the exact same goals,” AbdulRasheed Yahaya, founder of Local Legends, said of the…
AI startup partners with Bobcat on self-driving bulldozers for ‘more intelligent’ job sites
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. LAWRENCE…
Expensive billboards aren’t enough: Digital content startup pushes platform for engaging signage
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. WICHITA…
DoubleTapKC powers past real-world complications with River Market VR arcade, pub
Timing and preparation are everything for DoubleTapKC as the virtual reality arcade and pub prepares to unleash a new experience in the River Market — one its owners say is a perfect release for COVID-wary Kansas Citians eager to reconnect. “To be quite honest with you, I feel really blessed,” co-founder Terry Keith said, reflecting…
Wave Money: H&R Block deposits its $405M startup investment into small business banking
A year to the day after its acquisition by Kansas City tax giant H&R Block, Wave Financial is churning up change in the sea of small business banking. The Toronto,Canada-based fintech company announced Thursday the launch of Wave Money — a first-of-its-kind small business banking solution that eliminates banking fees, has built-in bookkeeping, and gives business…
Employer survey: KC digital media talent weak on tech, soft skills — even with a college degree
Area colleges and universities are falling short in preparing graduates for careers in digital media, a new study suggests. Cross-industry collaborations could help fill in the missing pixels. “The survey really highlights some gaps that are preventing the industry from moving forward,” explained Ron Green, executive director of digiSTORY KC — a Kansas City-based non-profit…
Milkman of CBD: How closing KC Hemp Co’s storefront helped deliver a 600-percent sales increase
A new strain of strategy has KC Hemp Co. going all in on eCommerce, its owners said, announcing the company has permanently closed its downtown Overland Park retail space — transitioning to online sales and limited same-day delivery. “We’ve been able to cut over 80 percent of our overhead,” explained Kyle Steppe, who owns KC…
Neelima Parasker planned for snow days — COVID came instead; How SnapIT is weathering the pandemic in a new space
More than 20,000 square feet of silence greeted Neelima Parasker as she returned to work this week after Stay at Home orders lifted. “Monday we opened up, but really, to very few people,” Parasker, CEO of SnapIT Solutions, said of the startup’s reentry to the traditional workforce — this time, inside a new office space…
Startup veteran pilots Air Traffic Awareness, wants ‘Silicon Valley of Aviation’ to truly take flight
A climbing Kansas City startup could save lives by bridging technology gaps in air travel, said Kashif Hasnie. “Collisions are among the top causes of aircraft accidents in the world,” explained Hasnie, CEO of Air Traffic Awareness. First launched as a class project at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Air Traffic Awareness has developed patent-pending,…