Channa Steinmetz
Recent Articles by Channa Steinmetz
Community Builders to Watch: Dan Smith and Charon Thompson grow an equitable future for KC by focusing on the now
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing six Kansas City changemakers from five local organizations in its inaugural Community Builders to Watch list. The following highlights two of the 2021 honorees, selected from more than 100 initial nominees by a panel of judges. Click here to view the full list of Community Builders to Watch —…
Bitcoin Day coming to KC: Experts share how startups can benefit from cryptocurrency
The realm of innovation and growth is extensive when it comes to how entrepreneurs can integrate cryptocurrency into their business models, said Don Stuart. “Specific to Kansas City, we’ve seen more and more interest here in the past few months with different companies getting set up to accept Bitcoin for payments — just because they…
How an Overland Park blockchain creator grew $1.4M in 17 minutes with ‘Magic Mushrooms’
More than 3,300 individuals entered the biotic metaverse, becoming members of the exclusive Magic Mushroom Clubhouse. “I dropped everything for this project, and then we ended up selling out in 17 minutes,” said Brett Malinowski, the creator of the non-fungible token (NFT) profile picture project, Magic Mushroom Clubhouse. “It’s this new wave of NFTs where…
Menufy sale scales HungerRush to more than 500 workers, 20,000 restaurants, KC co-founder says
Growth isn’t new to the menu for Menufy’s Leawood based team, said Sharmil Desai, noting the online platform for restaurants had grown to 140 employees before its freshly announced acquisition by HungerRush. “I can’t think of any point when Menufy has not been adding and expanding,” Desai, co-founder and CEO of Menufy, told Startland News….
KC’s housing market makes young professionals’ first homes more elusive; here’s how four of them are making it work
As newcomers to Kansas City in 2019, Ria Rao and Morgan Bannerman found community co-living with other young professionals under the same roof. Now they’re hoping to replicate that environment — this time as homeowners. The move comes in large part out of necessity. Amid a highly competitive housing market, locating an on-budget home — and…
Just funded: Sharks, crowd salute veteran-led tech newcomer with $32K in Pure Pitch Rally checks
A fresh face to the startup stage, Zachary Oshinbanjo left Monday’s Pure Pitch Rally with the most-funded venture of the event — taking home more than a third of the day’s nearly $90,000 in cash prizes. A U.S. Army veteran, Oshinbanjo pitched “land sharks” on Vetelligence — a tech platform that aims to create a…
WATCH: Master craftsman builds on military career — a catalyst to avoid wasted opportunity
Tony Bien cuts lumber. He might even cut into a melon. But service in the Kansas Army National Guard taught the hands-on force behind Swell Spark’s in-house design workshop to avoid cutting corners. “I’ve been very blessed in my career with the Army and with what I am doing now,” said Bien, who serves as…
Brands from Poio to Made in KC booked for new airport; $1.5B expected through the gate over 15 years
Local and minority-owned vendors selected to operate shops in Kansas City’s new airport terminal are more than up to the task, said Carlos Mortera, emphasizing the power of adding flavor to the highly anticipated project. “Most airports aren’t filled with local businesses,” noted Mortera, founder of Poio Mexican Barbeque. “We in Kansas City, I feel…
Erkios confirms KC headquarters moving to St. Louis; gears up for 2022 product launch
While vendors for Erkios Systems were shut down during the pandemic, Sean Null and his team got busy learning the necessary skills to keep their startup going, he recalled. “We were doing a lot of the work on our own; so when the world started moving again, we were prepared. Essentially, we were able to…
Sustainable style: Pop-up jewelry maker adds final touch of flare through zero-waste designs
Everything in Adrianna Stranak’s life seems to happen a bit haphazardly, she said, laughing. “When I started making jewelry, creating a business was not my initial goal,” shared Stranak, who teaches kindergarten in Kansas City, Kansas. “For me, I wanted these earrings that I couldn’t afford, so I made them!” As Stranak continued designing and…