Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Behavioral health startup announces acquisition, name change

March 1, 2016

Behavioral health tech firm ABPathfinder is blazing a new path thanks to a recent acquisition. In addition to a name change, the Overland Park-based firm announced Thursday that it purchased Phoenix-based Ensure Billing to beef up the company’s services. The new entity has rebranded to become Pathfinder Health Innovations. Acquiring an insurance billing company allows…

Read More

New $20M fund supercharges VC dollars in Kansas City

February 29, 2016

In conjunction with a metro-wide effort to boost the area economy, Kansas City will soon have a new co-investment fund that aims to accelerate early-stage businesses. As part of the KC Rising economic initiative, the “KC Rise Fund” hopes to improve a common gripe in Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community that there’s not enough capital to…

Read More

Cut the crap: How to discern worthwhile advice

February 29, 2016

In my early days as an entrepreneur, I ran into a lot of consultants who claimed to be “experts” and guaranteed they could help me out. Then I’d do some fact-checking and discover they were neither reliable nor experts, and their advice wasn’t worth the space in our email inboxes. In the last few years,…

Read More

Kansas City again named top tech locale for ladies

February 29, 2016

Kansas City received more kudos for gender equality, this time for being a top spot for women in tech. A study released Wednesday puts Kansas City in second place among the nation’s 58 most-populated cities. The news arrives on the heels of Kansas City being named as a top-10 U.S city for women-owned businesses. SmartAsset…

Read More

Pettet to students: Get off your duffs

February 26, 2016

Editor’s note: The following letter was submitted to Startland News by Zach Pettet,  a recent graduate of the University of Kansas City-Missouri, in response to a recent conversation on student engagement in the area entrepreneurial community.  Dear students of Kansas City, You’ve been the subject of some open letter writing recently. Have you noticed? Probably not.…

Read More

Pinsight Media wants to build your startup’s app for free

February 25, 2016

A new program at one of Kansas City top mobile tech firms plans to build dozens of mobile apps for as many as 70 startups around the nation. Kansas City-based Pinsight Media+ recently launched its “Rollout” program, which will develop a firm’s Android or iOS app — for free — with the intention of it…

Read More

ScaleUp! Kansas City launches search for area’s next $1M firms

February 25, 2016

ScaleUp! Kansas City is now accepting applications from area entrepreneurs for its fourth program to accelerate founders’ businesses. The program will welcome 15 entrepreneurs that aim to push their firm’s revenue past $1 million annually. ScaleUp! KC connects entrepreneurs with mentors, peers and resources to grow their businesses. [pullquote]Applications are open until April 19, with…

Read More

Events Preview: UMKC Career Accelerator

February 25, 2016

There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW UMKC Career Accelerator When: February 26 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Where: Bloch School Multiple students will sit down with each…

Read More

Brown: ‘Most entrepreneurial city’ should act like it with Airbnb regulations

February 25, 2016

Editor’s note: Kansas City is mulling regulations that would affect the operations of more than 300 “home-sharing” properties in the area. The proposed regulations would impose a $600 permitting fee and a host of other stipulations on hosts of Airbnb, VRBO and other similar services.  New technology brings promises of a better future. But it…

Read More

Report: Kansas is more innovation-friendly than Missouri

February 24, 2016

The Sunflower State is more hospitable to innovation than its eastward neighbor, a recent study found. The Consumer Technology Association’s annual “Innovation Scorecard” ranked all 50 states in 10 different categories to determine which states best fostered innovation and economic growth. The study dished Kansas slightly higher innovation kudos than Missouri, comparing their friendliness to…

Read More