Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Reporter, Startland News
Nikki brings to Startland News both community journalism and entrepreneurship experience and she loves being able to tell the inspiring stories of fellow creatives and risk-takers.
Before joining Startland News, she worked for over 10 years writing and editing for daily newspapers in Lawrence, Topeka, Duluth, Minnesota, and Park Hills, Missouri. She took a short hiatus from journalism to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef and starting her own baking business.
Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Controlled Burn: BoysGrow sets the table for fire-infused meal sparked by farm’s teen entrepreneurs, KC chefs
A live fire culinary event at the BoysGrow farm in south Kansas City is a dream come true for John Gordon, he shared, detailing plans for a fundraiser that harvests an immersive and unforgettable dining experience from the teen-focused ag entrepreneurship program. The one-night-only “Controlled Burn” heats up Oct. 5 at the 10-acre farm where…
Crypto investment startup checks in with $300K deposit from Hilton Family Office
A strategic partnership with the Hilton Family Office is expected to help Kansas City-based Technology Labs on its mission to protect and educate new investors in the crypto jungle, shared co-founder Travis Wright. The startup announced Tuesday that Hilton Finance — the lending and investment division of the boutique family office with deep ties to…
Roz audits its path to $2.15M in early funding; how KC helped this AI startup scale its potential
A series of funding wins is boosting a Kansas City startup’s efforts to automate the most complex — and tedious — parts of compliance work, drawing from the co-founder’s own pain points and resources from a server-full of local entrepreneur support initiatives. With $2.15 million in funding under its belt so far, Olathe-based Roz — which…
World Cup will produce KC small biz millionaires in just weeks, leaders say, but it’s only the start
Kansas City can’t look at the World Cup in 2026 as one big event where businesses are going to make good money for a while, and then everything goes back to normal, said Wes Rogers. “This has to be the beginning of the next chapter of our city,” the 2nd District Councilman for Kansas City,…
Beach volleyball heavyweights, Olympians hitting KC sand for George Brett showdown
Serial entrepreneur Lance Windholz hopes a high-profile weekend beach volleyball tournament — showcasing 24 professional players, including seven Olympians — will encourage more Kansas City athletes and enthusiasts to dig the sport he loves. The George Brett 4v4 Volleyball Showdown arrives Saturday, Sept. 13, at Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball. Two amateur teams are set to compete…
KC-built AI command center helps businesses gain superpowers without losing their tech stack
First envisioned as an AI-powered agent built to streamline operations at Kansas City-based Plexpod’s coworking spaces, Intuidy has evolved into its own operating system; one that is transforming the way companies operate, co-founder Grayson Smith said. Vantage — Intuidy’s flagship platform launched in early 2024 with the help of Smith’s brother, Gentry — is a…
When farmers get paid faster, everyone eats; HitchPin brings fintech to ag, good to humanity, founder says
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. The fintech revolution typically overlooks agriculture, Trevor McKeeman said, noting that any move to bring tools — like a payment platform within a digital marketplace — definitely breaks ground for…
E-Scholars rebrands, extending Regnier legacy deeper into influential UMKC accelerator
E-Scholars — the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s flagship accelerator program — isn’t going anywhere, Alex Matlack shared, but it is getting a rebrand. After listening to feedback from alumni, mentors, and community members, the program formally known as Entrepreneurship Scholars is now the Regnier Venture Accelerator, joining the likes of the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge…
Animal health innovators: Building on a new frontier means do-overs, even when you got it right first
Kansas City-based ELIAS Animal Health earned full USDA approval for its bone cancer therapy for dogs earlier this year, but the road to commercialization has been long and anything but straight, Tammie Wahaus shared. The veteran CEO shared her story of pivots — including switching from human health to animal health and adapting to ever-changing…
Garmin survived the smartphone revolution; now it wears digital health innovation on its wrist
Garmin might not have survived cellular carriers putting free navigation and mapping apps on every smartphone if the Olathe-based GPS tech leader wasn’t constantly innovating, said Scott Burgett, touring a group of digital health entrepreneurs and investors through the Johnson County headquarters. “It’s what keeps a company vibrant,” said Burgett, senior director of Garmin Health…