Meghan LeVota
Recent Articles by Meghan LeVota
Digital Sandbox expands to St. Joseph, partners with animal health incubator
Digital Sandbox KC will expand its efforts northwest to reach entrepreneurs in St. Joseph, Mo. The proof-of-concept program announced Wednesday that it has established a partnership with Innovation Stockyard, a St. Joseph-based animal science business incubator. Located inside the Christopher S. Kit Bond Incubator, Innovation Stockyard will offer grant recipients of Digital Sandbox office space…
Kansas Citian wins Missouri State Star for her business counseling
On Monday, a Kansas Citian was recognized by America’s Small Business Development Center as the State of Missouri’s most outstanding business counselor. Thanks to her contributions to the region’s business growth, Rebecca Gubbels was named the 2017 Missouri State Star. Gubbels is a business and program consultant at the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s Small Business…
Report: KC artists have spurred hundreds of millions for the region
It’s no secret that art has an impact on the heart and soul. But in Kansas City, art also has a significant impact on the economy. The art industry added a total of $276 million to the metro’s economy in 2015. The figure is a slight increase from the 2010 figure, according to a report…
Greitens creates Innovation Task Force to accelerate Missouri startup growth
On Monday, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens launched a task force to spur startup activity and innovation in the State of Missouri. The governor’s Innovation Task Force will give an overall assessment of innovation in the Show Me State, analyze other states to glean best practices and develop specific recommendations. “While Missouri has emerged as a…
Altruistic underwear maker MADI Apparel grows with chic, empathic approach
Hayley Besheer always considered herself to be a passionate and empathetic person. But what she initially struggled with was to figure out how to best contribute those skills to the world. “If you bring positive energy into the world, then you get it back,” Besheer said. “When you bring trust to the table, you get…
Area ag tech firm TechAccel expands to St. Louis
TechAccel announced Thursday that it will expand to St. Louis, Mo., opening office space within the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a nonprofit research center. Based in Mission, Kan., TechAccel is a venture and research firm that invests in advanced agriculture and animal health technologies. The development marks the first time the company has established…
TEDxKC announces a perspective-altering lineup for its summer event
Prepare to shift your perspective. One of the largest, independently-organized TEDx events in the world, TEDxKC has announced perspective-altering speakers for its summer event. With a theme of “perspective,” the ninth-annual TEDxKC is set for Aug. 18 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Nearly 3,000 people attended TEDxKC in 2016 and, like years…
CAPS expands innovative education program to 6 KC area school districts
CAPS, an area innovation education network, is continuing to grow its impact in the Kansas City metro as it expands to create two new programs this fall. The Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) is adding two local programs this fall, bringing its total reach to 14 school districts in Missouri and Kansas. CAPS is…
Reporter turned entrepreneur, LeVota offers 6 takeaways from Startup Weekend KC
A little under a year ago, I joined the Startland News team. Since then, I bet I’ve witnessed at least 150 entrepreneurs pitch their company. It’s safe to say I’ve learned a lot about innovation and entrepreneurship. I’m lucky I get to spend my days asking people who have “done it” how they “did it.”…
Mobility Designed names new CEO, raises more than $1M
Mobility Designed, a Kansas City medical device startup, announced Friday that it has appointed a new CEO. Previously held by co-founder Liliana Younger, the CEO role is now held by Dan Alcazar. A serial entrepreneur, Alcazar has experience growing early-stage, mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies, including RJR Nabisco, Sprint and Embarq. Younger will remain on…