Startland News Staff
Sometimes we share credit. The “Staff Writer” byline appears on stories reported, written, or edited collaboratively by members of the Startland News team — especially for quick hits and breaking news.
Recent Articles by Startland News Staff
Bash crashers: Airbnb stopped 1,700 suspected parties in KC amid 2021 variant surges
Airbnb’s ban on booking spots for house parties prevented hundreds of spreader events across Kansas City — especially impactful over holiday weekends known disruptive behavior, the company said Friday. First introduced in summer 2020 to prioritize public health in the early days of the pandemic, Airbnb’s ban included new tech systems on the short-term rental platform…
Kanbe’s Markets selected for $30K in marketing services from surging Crux KC team
Kanbe’s Markets is expected to harvest boosted visibility and functionality thanks to a newly announced donation of $30,000 in pro bono marketing services from one of Kansas City’s fastest-growing agencies. Crux KC selected the nonprofit for its annual “Crux for a Cause” initiative, which is expected to provide an entire year of services from a…
LaunchKC opens applications for new Social Venture Studio; five slots expected for cohort focused on KC
Entrepreneurs hoping to provide both social impact and return on investment are encouraged to apply for the inaugural cohort of LaunchKC’s Social Venture Studio — an effort focused on creating sustainable business models to tackle social, racial, or environmental issues. Click here to apply through March 30. The studio is seeking a diverse cohort of leaders,…
Return on investment: Why the co-founder of tech giant Dropbox just donated $500K to Blue Valley schools
Blue Valley schools, teachers, and students are expected to benefit greatly from a newly announced fund launched by the homegrown Johnson County tech entrepreneur who later co-founded the cloud storage giant Dropbox. Arash Ferdowsi, a 2004 graduate of Blue Valley Northwest High School, has put up $500,000 to launch the Arash Ferdowsi Fund, which benefits…
Voltage charges ahead with $6M seed round in quest to ‘fast-track a Bitcoin standard’
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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…
Blip Roasters, Lifted Spirits leaders among latest ScaleUP! KC cohort, priming their businesses to scale
Eighteen Kansas City companies — ranging from coffee, software, and cycling, to construction, human resources, hair care, fitness, and distilling — are slated to join the latest ScaleUP! KC cohort, the program announced Wednesday. “ScaleUP! Kansas City has a long history and proven track record of helping Kansas City business owners get the confidence, one-on-one coaching…
Kauffman awards Omni Circle $360K grant to help build minority small business hub
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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. Editor’s…
HomeRoom closes $1M pre-seed, joining Y Combinator’s latest batch of funded startups
A Kansas City proptech startup that matches roommates with affordable coliving opportunities is reporting record growth, along with a newly announced million-dollar pre-seed funding round led by a leading early stage investor. The investment from Y Combinator, The Uplift Syndicate and The HO0 Fund is expected to help HomeRoom — a residential real estate marketplace that…
Celebrity investors, KCRise Fund back $9M strategic seed for Overland Park NFT startup
Banking a $9 million round — including the backing of billionaire Mark Cuban, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, the co-founders of Rotten Tomatoes and regional venture capital firm KCRise Fund — CryptoSlam announced Wednesday a new wave of support for blockchain technology and a Kansas City startup operating within the open metaverse. Overland Park-based CryptoSlam, a leading…
Just funded: Digital Sandbox KC starts new year with six new startups on its roster
Digital Sandbox KC’s latest round of startup funding reflects the emergence of more Kansas City-built, scalable tech in the new year, said Jill Meyer, announcing the fourth-quarter roster of companies bringing innovative ideas to life in the region. “These six companies demonstrate the creativity and diversity of our region’s technology founders and problem solvers,” said…