Startland News Staff
Recent Articles by Startland News Staff
Bird ridership soars during NFL Draft amid exclusive e-scooter partnership with KCMO
Daily rides in Kansas City increased by 724 percent during April’s NFL Draft weekend, Bird reported, following the three-day series of events that brought more than 300,000 fans to festival grounds at Union Station. “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Kansas City and the NFL to support the 2023 NFL Draft by providing efficient, affordable,…
Former KC startup acquired by Atlanta-based banking platform, uniting two of the largest Black-owned fintechs
ATLANTA — Greenwood, a digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and businesses, announced this week its acquisition of Kansas City-founded Kinly — a neobank building generational wealth for Black America. The deal will help grow Atlanta-based Greenwood’s ecosystem of more than 1 million members and provide Kinly’s community of more than 300,000 with…
Scale VC launches Fund II with $5M investment led by UM System, Shelter Insurance
COLUMBIA, Missouri — Venture capital fund and studio Scale VC raised a $5 million round of funding in less than six months, said Brett Calhoun, highlighting the potential for growing a nationally recognized startup city in the middle of the country. “Successful founders are everywhere — and that includes right here in the heart of…
KC-based coffee collective adds two more Midwest brands to its speciality roast portfolio
A pair of Minneapolis-based coffee businesses are expected to add to the aroma of FairWave Collective, said Dan Trott, emphasizing the company’s mission to elevate quality coffee experiences through specialty brands. Folly Coffee Roasters and Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees are the latest Minnesota additions to the Kansas City-based collective’s roast, joining Up Coffee Roasters, which…
Company boosted by Topeka becomes capital city’s latest Plug and Play corporate partner
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. TOPEKA — Plug and Play Topeka announced this week the addition of Bimini Pet Health as a new corporate partner of the Topeka-based animal health accelerator — a move expected…
Pitching in: Meet the founders tapped for Launch KC’s second Social Venture Studio
Seven social ventures from Kansas City and beyond are joining the second cohort of LaunchKC’s newest entrepreneur-focused initiative — a program that specifically supports founders working to solve social, racial or environmental problems. The startups selected for the Social Venture Studio, powered by LaunchKC, were revealed Wednesday afternoon at the Keystone Community Corporation’s event space…
Tesseract earns $1.25M contract to help Space Force, military ‘predict the future’
Industry-defining tools built by Kansas City’s Tesseract Ventures will help the U.S. Space Force accurately track machines, people and objects on base, and create a clearer understanding of launch conditions through next generation data visualization, said John Boucard. Tesseract announced Tuesday that the company has been awarded a direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation (SBIR) contract…
EquipmentShare digs massive $290M round, deepening US footprint, its T3 tech platform
COLUMBIA, Missouri — EquipmentShare, an equipment and digital solutions provider serving the construction industry, announced Wednesday the completion of a $290 million funding round led by a fund focused on family- and founder-led scaling businesses. “Our growth continues to be fueled by new customers who are ready for a technology-driven construction solution,” said Jabbok Schlacks,…
$500K Etsy grant expected to help AltCap offer microloans to artists, creative entrepreneurs
AltCap this week announced a new partnership with the global marketplace Etsy to provide microloans to artists and creative entrepreneurs in America’s Heartland. Etsy has awarded AltCap, an impact-focused small business lender, a $500,000 grant to provide $1,000 to $10,000 loans through the ARTcap Microloan Fund to artists and creative entrepreneurs in Kansas, Missouri and…
Votes are in: ‘Fan favorite’ winners bake in support at KC Chamber showcase; Top 10 coming April 21
Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. Two Black- and women-owned ventures were named “fan favorites” Tuesday in a public vote that followed this week’s Small Business Showcase at Union Station. The honors are…