Elyssa Bezner
Reporter
Recent Articles by Elyssa Bezner
Two Missouri biology students just wanted an ‘A’ — ultimately they devised a treatment for Crohn’s Disease
Launching a biotech company based on a class project took the quest for an ‘A’ to a whole new level for two Missouri University of Science and Technology students — founders of Bionic Bowell. Prompted by professors to find a use for a special ion-interacting glass compound, Vanessa Mahan and Catherine Pollman devised an ingestible…
More than a makeover: ‘Queer Eye’ gives Wesley Hamilton an opportunity to thank the shooter who put him in a wheelchair
Wesley Hamilton’s clear vision for his potential impact took away the nerves while in front of cameras for Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” he said. “Me being able to get on a show with that type of exposure and spread my message to those within my community and outside of it… I’m just really excited for the…
Friendmedia moving San Fran HQ to Kansas City; planning $1.5M funding round for hiring
San Francisco-based tech firm Friendmedia is expected to relocate its headquarters to Kansas City in 2020 amidst $1.5 million funding round, said Nick Magruder. “Our goal is to take advantage of all the great things that Kansas City brings to the table with all the great people, the low cost of living and everything that…
KCultivator Q&A: Lauren Conaway finds passion in womxn-led InnovateHER KC
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Kansas City’s female entrepreneurs are begging for the opportunity to champion each…
Chris Harris transformed a blighted neighborhood with a golf course; now his effort is hitting the road
Teaming up with America’s car clubs is driving a local community change effort to a nationwide scale, said Chris Harris. “I don’t want to stop here,” said Harris, owner and operator of the Harris Park Midtown Sports and Activities Center — officially shifting gears to a “Phase 2” after seeing the positive change caused by…
Rightfully Sewn fashion event designed for female empowerment fit, Carbon38 founder
Kansas City can step onto the runway as a fashion-forward city with the right education and attention, said Jennifer Lapka. Rightfully Sewn’s third annual fashion designer professional development seminar returns Saturday. With its attendance growing exponentially from year to year, the event underscores the development of Kansas City’s fashion scene, said Lapka, the founder of…
AudreySpirit fashions clothing to help chronically ill child patients feel like themselves again
AudreySpirit is designed to bring dignity to chronically sick children, said Donna Yadrich, detailing a specially created clothing line that doesn’t sacrifice practicality. “When my daughter Audrey was in the [Intensive Care Unit] the last time, I was looking at her arms and she just had so many wires and everything coming out of her…
ngGirls set to debut its one-day programming workshop for girls, women in Kansas City
Developing a “stress-free,” immersive learning environment is key to paving the way for female tech talent in Kansas City, said Alisa Duncan. “There are a lot of studies about how women learn better when they’re with other women and that kind of support system, so that’s what we’re trying to provide,” said Duncan, program director…
‘Wild idea’ behind OYO Fitness sends KC inventor into Space Tech Hall of Fame
Commercial viability for an inventor-entrepreneur comes with only about a “one in 1,000” chance of success, said OYO Fitness founder Paul Francis, who was recently inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for his patented SpiraFlex technology. “It’s probably much smarter to come up with an app because you don’t have any selling costs…
Techstars KC on hiatus as Lesa Mitchell takes new role with Indianapolis accelerator
Techstars Kansas City is expected to “hit pause” on programming and is not returning for a 2019 cohort, said David Brown, noting the exact timing of the next program is still undecided. “Our full intention is to continue in Kansas City,” said Brown, founder and co-CEO of the national accelerator network. “We love Kansas City…