Haines Eason

Recent Articles by Haines Eason

How a crowdfunding site is adding extra cheddar to Buffalo State Pizza’s relocation plans 

Confidence is already in the box for Buffalo State Pizza Co.’s owners as they look to everyday investors to help their business complete and grow into a new space near downtown Overland Park, they said.  The duo — Philippe Lechevin and Steve Robson — launched a campaign this fall on the crowdfunding site Honeycomb Credit…

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Ancestry.com founder-turned-AI evangelist says rapidly advancing tech can uplift humanity, families

People across the globe are caught in an internet malaise, said Paul Allen, and tech visionaries’ response should be to renew humans’ dependence on faith and family and friendship and local community. One of their most critical tools, he said: decidedly non-human solutions from the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Allen — founder of…

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KC Pioneers scored Kansas City a spot on the ‘gaming wave’; why this pro esports teams views its hometown as a championship asset

In the globe-spanning esports market, most of the top competitive gaming teams keep their hometown — if they have one — ambiguous to the public. With the industry expected to touch 1 billion people worldwide by 2029 and players untethered to physical locations, it’s simply an unimportant biographical detail to many. And potentially limiting for others….

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Here’s how a new data dashboard could help KCMO redirect funds to small businesses

A new data dashboard built to better understand Kansas City’s business needs — and guide the city’s response — is not only revolutionary for the metro, said Nia Richardson, it could be the first of its kind, period. Small business advocates already are calling it a win. “I don’t know of any other city or playbook…

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Midwest crypto platform Normal aims to bring blockchain ‘banking’ to the mainstream

Cryptocurrencies are poised to radically disrupt and transform monetary systems across the globe, said Joshua Blew, noting the coming financial freedom offered by such developments is closely tied to individuals’ access to the best tools and ownership of the right assets. But connecting to them in a world of banking behemoths and entrenched financial institutions…

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

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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Chef brings Urban concept back to Troost; $25K GIFT grant boosts fight against gentrification

Chef Justin Clark’s latest venture — an eatery that blends Asian and soul food influences — aims to not only blur the boundaries between menus, but break down dividing lines within and between communities. “The goal was to create familiar items that everyone actually can relate to as Americans, but then again, we add some…

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KC Futures DAO aims to launch Kansas City’s first blockchain-driven innovation magnet

As the US races to catch up to Europe, Asia and the developing world with regard to crypto, blockchain and Web3 tech, can the careful creation of talent-attracting digital hubs help close the distance? Today’s global economy — and its hyper-competitive talent market — rightly sees rapidly advancing technology as a relentless force, said Troy Carlson,…

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Founders want answers for investors after crowdfunding platform fueling emerging bars, restaurants unexpectedly shutters

News this week that peer-to-peer business lending platform Mainvest would cease operations within a month “came out of left field,” said Jhy Coulter. “We got the email just like everyone else, and it was pretty surprising,” the owner of Orange By: Devoured and Devoured Pizza said, adding that she feels “sad because I felt like…

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KCMO investing $900K in entrepreneur support as advocates push for more funding

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, has budgeted an $900,000 investment in its KC BizCare Office as part of a broader plan to better support the metro’s entrepreneur community While advocates from within Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community love the city as much as its next fan, they acknowledge it can be a tough place to…

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