Startland News Staff
Recent Articles by Startland News Staff
KC couple’s 15-year journey evolves into $4M 24-hour child care center in urban core
A multimillion-dollar expansion for KD Academy is expected to upgrade the early learning and child care center’s capacity from 95 to 430 students at its new headquarters on Prospect Avenue — a redevelopment boon for the east side corridor and the extension of a family’s long-running mission. “Our goal starting out was to create a…
Esports orgs target more diversity in gaming; Mayor Q to join weekend ‘Among Us’ stream to boost message
Two Kansas City esports organizations are uniting behind one jersey to help make the rapidly expanding online gaming community more accessible to students in Title 1 schools across Missouri. “Esports brings kids together who might not otherwise have the chance to be a part of a broader community,” said Mason Mullenioux, CEO of Generation Esports…
Missouri angel tax credits? New grants? Show-Me State tech advocates researching next generation of incentives for entrepreneurs
The future of entrepreneurial support in Missouri could hinge on what those in the trenches say are the state’s biggest barriers to startup success, said Jack Scatizzi, announcing a new data-driven effort to reshape Missouri’s strategy for cultivating innovation. “The initiative will include quantitative and qualitative aspects that will be incorporated into a strategic plan…
Whataburger planning 30 new KS-MO restaurants with help of KC’s newest serial investor: Patrick Mahomes
A years-long effort to bring a Texas burger chain to Kansas City is turning into a bigger order than Whataburger fans likely ever dreamed — all with the help of brand superfan and now chief investor Patrick Mahomes II. Whataburger on Tuesday announced plans to open 30 new restaurants — spanning from Wichita, Kansas to…
ParentSquare notches growth investment, fueled by KC startup acquisition, pandemic trends
A significant growth investment is expected to help push edtech platform ParentSquare’s expansion into new markets and products — nearly 18 months after the Santa Barbara company announced the acquisition of a Kansas City startup’s school communication app. The undisclosed investment by Serent Capital also follows ParentSquare’s successful navigation of pandemic-era communication needs between parents…
LaunchKC-backed insurtech accelerator hopes to claim new cohort by Aug. 22
Brush Creek Partners and LaunchKC are again eyeing startups ready to accelerate their go-to-market plans, the partners announced Tuesday. The application period for the LaunchKC-backed bcp tech InsurTech accelerator has officially opened, Nathan Kurtz, COO of Brush Creek Partners (bcp), said in a release, marking the program’s second run. “When you have an insurtech product…
Tech company at the vanguard of KC startup boom exits to West Coast competitor
One of Kansas City’s earliest startups to watch of the past decade has been acquired by an Oregon-based competitor. RFPIO announced the purchase of RFP360, a Leawood-based software-as-a-service startup, Tuesday morning. A dollar amount for the deal was not disclosed. “Through this acquisition, I’m extremely excited about the future as we work together to drive…
‘Sunshine Box’ inventor earns $25K prize in pitch competition for women-led social ventures
The woman behind a solar-paneled electric charging station built to overcome challenges found in developing nations earned the spotlight herself as Thursday’s big winner in the inaugural HI-HERImpact Kansas City pitch competition. Conner Hazelrigg, founder of 1773 Innovation Co. — the maker of the Sunshine Box — was awarded the contest’s $25,000 prize in the…
Fund Me, KC: Invest in Mycroft’s open-sourced, privacy-respecting voice assistant
Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like Kansas City artificial intelligence startup Mycroft AI — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially gain backing from new…
J. Rieger plans to relight ‘Electric Park’ in the East Bottoms, sling boozy snow-cones, cocktail floats
A new 11,000-square-foot outdoor space is set to open this fall at J. Rieger & Co., the historic East Bottoms-based distillery, with an homage to one of Kansas City’s brightest but nearly forgotten eras. The Electric Park Garden Bar — featuring a completely open-air patio bar and an adjoining atrium that will serve as an…