Meghan LeVota
Recent Articles by Meghan LeVota
FitBark keeps pups slim on ‘My Big Fat Pet Makeover’
While the staggering rate of obesity for adult humans in the U.S. isn’t new, a startling pet trend has emerged: More than half of dogs and cats in the U.S. are obese. A new Animal Planet show, “My Big Fat Pet Makeover,” seeks to highlight the problem and help set furry friends on the right…
Photos: Take a look at Virgin Mobile USA’s startup-like office space
Many in the Kansas City startup community often call upon corporations to better engage with earlier stage entrepreneurs. Virgin Mobile USA wants to flip that script, said Justin Scott, Virgin Mobile director of communications. Despite being a subsidiary of Sprint Corporation and backed by billionaire investor Richard Branson, the firm — which selected Kansas City for…
After shootings, ‘It’s most important to keep the public safe,’ Smart City leaders say
Citizens expect public safety from their city government to encompass such basics as sidewalks and water, Bob Bennett said. And for that reason, improving public safety must be a top concern for smart city projects around the nation, the chief innovation officer at the City of Kansas City, Missouri, added. “We have to provide the…
Kauffman report: KC ranks 28 out of 40 in entrepreneurial growth
Fewer Kansas City companies are growing to become medium- or large-sized firms, according to a report released Thursday by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. It’s a common story across the U.S., as the nation rebounds from the slump of the Great Recession, the report says. The 2017 Kauffman Index of Growth Entrepreneurship report suggests the…
Video: Nonprofit wants to bring coworking, craft fairs and farmers markets to Troost
Nonprofit group Troost Market Collective hopes to revitalize a section of Troost Avenue — from 31st to Linwood — bringing a coworking space, art collective and maker spaces, as well as regular festivals and farmers markets. While other developers are busy building residential and retail space along the Troost corridor, Troost Market Collective co-founders Katie Mabry…
Pipeline receives up to $2M from Kauffman Foundation grant
Pipeline Entrepreneurs announced Tuesday that the fellowship program is deepening its relationship with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and receiving a challenge grant of more than $2 million over the next four years. The grant amount is dependent upon private fundraising with the foundation matching dollar-for-dollar, a release said. Launched in 2006, Pipeline offers an…
KC entrepreneurial educator: ‘Zip code shouldn’t determine success’
Entrepreneurship education should begin as early as kindergarten, said Rachel Foster. “The younger my students are, the more creative they are, and the less the world has had time to tell them that it’s ‘not possible’ or ‘you can’t do that,’” said Foster, entrepreneurship teacher at Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy. “If we are able…
Events Preview: Smart City Tech summit, Intentional Collisions
There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Are you hosting a relevant community event? Add it to the KCSourceLink Calendar for increased exposure. Email info@kcsourcelink.com for assistance. Smart City…
Techstars KC demo day: How to build inclusive teams that give first
When Lesa Mitchell first learned she’d be managing director of the inaugural Techstars KC program, she thought to herself, “Wow, I’m going to have the most inclusive program in the world,” she said Thursday at the program’s demo day event. As it turns out, diversity and inclusion can be difficult to apply — even with…
No folly for Techstars KC startups declaring growth at demo day (photo gallery)
Traction, new pilot tests and funding rounds were among the milestones met and revealed by a handful of Techstars KC startups at the accelerator’s inaugural demo day celebration. The 2017 Techstars KC class features a variety of industries — from edtech and artificial intelligence to virtual reality and food. Five of the 10 companies hail from…