Austin Barnes

Recent Articles by Austin Barnes

Wallpapered with flyness: She’s adding urban culture to home decor; why this founder is still searching for her tribe in KC

August 30, 2024

Chicago transplant Keisha Jordan is bringing urban opulence to Kansas City through Complex Flavors Home + Life — just in time for the Kansas City cultural renaissance, she said.  Complex Flavors is a home decor brand, offering wallpaper lines that celebrate “city girl” energies, Jordan said, noting urban opulence is the fuel that sits at…

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Scaling fintech: Missouri Coast CEO nets solution to Platte River’s fish-flinging kayak attacks

August 30, 2024

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Kansas City PBS/Flatland, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, The Kansas City Beacon, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. [divide] A little ripple tears through the muddy water. It’s small. It’s so…

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Kelce brothers announce $100M ‘landmark deal’ for podcast in sign of audio format’s growth

August 29, 2024

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. [divide] Travis Kelce is making waves in the podcast world like he does…

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$250K node grant expected to fund AI upgrade at KCSourceLink, part-time navigators for PHKC, Square One, The Toolbox

August 29, 2024

A hefty new grant is expected to build upon a community collaboration’s framework to help small businesses start and grow over the next five to 10 years in the Kansas City area. The goal: better access to diverse resources for local entrepreneurs. The Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) earlier this month announced a $250,000 regional node…

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Police hold 2 teen suspects in killing of Kansas City chef Shaun Brady, as Irish community mourns

August 29, 2024

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. [divide] Brady & Fox chef Shaun Brady was a key organizer in Kansas City’s Irish Fest, which is scheduled to go…

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Cybersecurity startup extends intelligence, from small biz to college (and wartime Ukraine)

August 29, 2024

A cyber attack at a Kansas City area college pushed serial entrepreneur Conner Hazelrigg and her on-campus colleague — a decorated CIA intelligence officer-turned-cybersecurity professional — into action, the founders of Hilltop Technologies said. “When we started really looking into it, we realized how vulnerable higher education is and how soft of targets they are,” said…

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Why this Missouri founder’s auto tech startup accelerated even as the ‘world was ending’

August 28, 2024

Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it. [divide] SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — With two decades of experience…

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Kauffman’s new grants go live this week; here’s what we know about the revised funding priorities

August 26, 2024

The announcement of five new grants opportunities from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation brings months of anticipation and potential uncertainty to a head, offering a more clear view into the relaunched grantmaking strategy of the influential Kansas City philanthropic organization. New applications for funding through the Kauffman Foundation open Aug. 29 — about four months…

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Digital Health KC debuts Lumi Awards with star-powered roster of tech honorees

August 23, 2024

Healthcare is a team sport and Kansas City has all the players, said Dick Flanigan, heaping praise on the region’s innovators at the intersection of healthcare and technology. “We have key entries in every sector, allowing us to tap into these companies and individuals to truly form a winning team,” said Flanigan, president of Digital…

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Shoppers lined the block to visit their vintage clothing store; now they’ve curated a new, larger space in KC’s West Bottoms

August 23, 2024

As brothers Thomas and Reade Rex open the doors to their relocated and expanded vintage clothing store this weekend in Kansas City’s West Bottoms, the event will be a culmination of years of hard work, passion, and a shared vision — plus significant customer support and loyalty, they said. “We’ve always done things together,” said…

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