Austin Barnes
Recent Articles by Austin Barnes
A Kansas City-area congressman wants the U.S. Small Business Administration to move its offices from downtown Kansas City to central Missouri, amid President Trump’s nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants and a broad restructuring of how the federal government works. U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, on Tuesday sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, asking…
Read MoreCHICAGO — An influential venture capital firm with portfolio companies in Kansas City and across the region on Thursday announced a St. Louis serial entrepreneur as the latest venture partner joining its mission to back a new generation of Midwest unicorns. Guy Friedman, co-founder and CEO of SteadyMD, brings an invaluable founder’s perspective — plus a…
Read MoreA new Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee is opening not one, but two locations this spring — all while keeping her day job and raising twin 4-year-olds. Nikki Vogel is taking over 2,200-square-feet in the former Calibration Brewery building at 119 Armour Road in North Kansas City for a scheduled April 16 opening. (It will be…
Read MoreWICHITA — Nearly three dozen Sunflower State startups are vying for $20,000 in prize money — and courting the attention of investors — as they advance to the second round of an innovative, state-backed pitch competition set amid the excitement of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. NXTUS on Tuesday announced the initial 32 companies advancing…
Read MoreEditor’s note: The following includes excerpts from “The Corporate Couch” podcast as part of a collaboration between host Jeff Pelaccio and Startland News to highlight Web3 companies and founders in the space. [divide] The 15-year-old boy within Randy Wasinger — so obsessed with baseball cards that he opened a card shop in downtown Russell, Kansas, to…
Read MoreEditor’s note: This article was written for a class at the University of Kansas’ William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications and distributed through the Kansas Press Association. [divide] TOPEKA — A bill seeking to ban DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot, from state devices has advanced in the Kansas Legislature. HB 2313…
Read MoreFrom the driver’s seat, Martin Staples is steering Lenexa-based Transportant toward rapid growth with its real-time, tech-driven approach, he said, bringing greater safety, communication, and efficiency to school buses and expanding the startup’s reach beyond its Midwest home region. Fueling Transportant’s plans to leave coast-to-coast tracks — and beyond — will be key, said Staples, who…
Read MoreJacquinta Nelson stood before a packed crowd at The Porter House KC’s Pitch Night this week, sharing her vision for S.T.E.P. Movement, a community-based step team designed to uplift young girls. Moments later, she was awarded a $4,000 grand prize. The recognition was deeply personal for Nelson, who is dedicated to mentoring youth to be…
Read MoreEditor’s note: The following is the first in a four-part series exploring the verticals and impact of initiatives within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City through a paid partnership with EDCKC. [divide] EDCKC leader: Tapping Kansas City’s full potential requires coordinated eco devo strategy across region Tracey Lewis has lived and worked in some…
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