Startland News Staff

Recent Articles by Startland News Staff

Postmates launches on-demand delivery service in KC

September 11, 2015

Postmates is coming to Kansas City. Well, technically the San Francisco-based company is already here. The Kansas City area is one of 10 metros the on-demand delivery service is officially launching in on Sept. 17, but for those who have heard of Postmates and downloaded the app, the service is live. Similar to Uber, Postmates is organized through…

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KC joins national STEM Ecosystem program

September 11, 2015

Kansas City was named one of 27 communities to pilot a national program aimed to boost the area science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, ecosystem. There are still many unknowns following the announcement as community leaders involved wait for further direction from the STEM Ecosystem Initiative, but Science Pioneers executive director LeAnn Smith said…

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Events Preview: Techweek highlights

September 10, 2015

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 Coding & Cupcakes When: September 12 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Where: Sprint Accelerator Mothers and daughters are invited to attend sessions…

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Cisco makes KC Smart City leadership change

September 10, 2015

The local man leading Cisco’s efforts with Kansas City’s Smart City project is moving on to a startup firm. Isaiah Blackburn, chief strategist for Connected and Innovative Kansas City, has departed Cisco to serve as chief strategy officer at Xaqt, a Kansas City-based data analytics firm, according to a report from the Kansas City Business Journal.…

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TechAccel advances on two agriculture deals

September 10, 2015

Technology Acceleration Partners, or TechAccel, advanced two deals that significantly boost the group’s investment effort into the agriculture sector. The deals include a licensing agreement with Kansas State University for a patent on a bio-pesticide, and an equity investment in Benson Hill Biosystems. The private capital development company — founded by Michael Helmstetter and the Bicknell Family Holding Company — announced the…

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Manufacturers notice growing KC inventor contest

September 10, 2015

You have 48 hours to make a product. And if you beat the competition for creativity, function and originality, you leave with $6,000. No pressure. Make48 is back in October with the group’s second inventor competition, incentivizing creativity and grit. Tom Gray, co-founder of Make48, said the group’s competition this Oct. 2 – 4 brings…

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AltCap launches small business competition in KC

September 9, 2015

After a recent rebrand, Kansas City-based AltCap is back with a new small business competition aimed at local entrepreneurs. AltCap program manager Christine Kahm said their first program is seeking to aid those businesses who aren’t looking for venture capital funds or angel investors, but who do need help getting their business idea off of…

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Popular ScaleUp! KC program welcoming area applicants

September 9, 2015

ScaleUp! Kansas City is now accepting applications from area entrepreneurs that hope to boost their businesses through mentorship and a strong network of peers. The program, which is now in the midst of its second class, welcomes about 15 businesspeople that aim to push their firm’s revenue past $1 million annually. ScaleUp! KC connects entrepreneurs…

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5 KC startups make national contest

September 8, 2015

Kansas City is well represented in a national competition in which startups have a shot at winning $10,000. Five Kansas City companies were recently announced among 40 contestants in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s “One in a Million” competition. The competition, which received 377 applicants, challenges startups that have presented at the foundation’s 1 Million…

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Angel investors recommit to KC with new fund

September 8, 2015

A new micro venture investment fund launched in Kansas City last week is targeting local, regional and national technology and science startups for funding. The fund, run by Angel Capital Group, is targeting $1 million to $5 million in capital to invest. This isn’t ACG’s first funding effort in Kansas City. The organization has a…

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