Channa Steinmetz
Recent Articles by Channa Steinmetz
Nightlife app enhances its flavor with Westport Bars, KC brewing company partnerships
A strategic partnership with Westport Bars is going to do more than drive partygoers to the UpDown Nightlife app, Joshua Lewis said; it will give the startup data needed to scale its platform nationwide. “Through this partnership, we’re going to be able to really build out our business model,” said Lewis, the founder and CEO…
Stream smarter, safer: Former Cisco engineer aims to replace Zoom as top video conferencing platform
Kenneth Yancy has been live streaming since the early 2000s — a time when not many were interested in the technology, he said. But 20 years later, a virtual-hybrid work model featuring video conferencing is the norm. “In 2001, I was working for Cisco as an engineer. My team and I built the first live…
55-shoe collection to online sneaker platform: How Nazr El-Scari opened a market to affordable, rare kicks
Sneakers are a distinct statement of individuality, Nazr El-Scari said, lacing up his venture’s sole purpose: to put dream shoes within reach “Growing up, I remember the excitement of opening a new pair of shoes. My older brother and his friends always had the dopest sneakers that you couldn’t find anywhere in Kansas City; it…
Swing for the big league: Custom baseball bat maker turns wood into diamond-worthy dingers
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. BALDWIN…
Historic $1.8M pre-seed round revs up automotive startup with former BacklotCars VP behind the wheel
Anders Ericson is tackling an overlooked issue in the automotive industry, he shared, and investors are not missing out on the opportunity to back up his solution. “There is this glaring problem in the market where people with subprime credit, who are trying to buy a car, are going into these specialized dealerships and paying…
Generation least likely to vote wants yours: How Gen Z candidates are jumping on MO ballots to energize interest
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series on the 2022 election produced by the KC Media Collective, an initiative designed to support and enhance local journalism. Members of the KC Media Collective include Startland News, Missouri Business Alert, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, KCUR, The Kansas City Beacon and American Public Square. Ray Reed sat…
‘If you don’t own yourself, you own nothing’: Why one founder says he’ll relocate his business if Kansas bans abortion
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series on the 2022 election produced by the KC Media Collective, an initiative designed to support and enhance local journalism. Members of the KC Media Collective include Startland News, Missouri Business Alert, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, KCUR, The Kansas City Beacon and American Public Square. Andrew Morgans has…
KC wants to be the nation’s most equitable hub for biologics; prestigious MIT pick could help
Biologics is the entryway to personalized medicine, said Sonia Hall, and Kansas City is aiming to create the most inclusive hub for the development, production and distribution of biologics as part of its acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program. “When you talk about personalized medicine, you’re talking about greater equity…
Survival gets the wheels turning: Why this founder sold his home and belongings for a new pro journey
An entrepreneur who’s gained a following with his homegrown wrestling company and deeply personal cancer survival story is hitting the road — hoping to change perspectives about the disease by engaging and uplifting others who are fighting or affected by the disease. “It’s so easy to ignore something like brain cancer when it is seen…
Service took Yinka Faleti from Kuwait to Ferguson; now this VC’s pushing social change from a $25M fund
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. ST….