Leave KC better than you found it: How matching growth to city’s needs is paying off
Editor’s note: The following is the first in a four-part series exploring the verticals and impact of initiatives within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City through a paid partnership with EDCKC. A focused effort to raise Kansas... Read more
Brothers bringing Jerusalem Cafe, Chick-In Waffle, sober bar mashup to Power & Light
The Kansas City Power & Light District is getting a new flagship venue that will combine two popular local restaurant brands and a new mocktail bar/coffee shop concept. Brothers and second-generation restaurateurs, Dennis and Adam Alazzeh, a... Read more
A pair of two-dimensional designers at Ampersand Design Studio and their three-dimensional collaborators at The City Girl Farm just flocked together to release a new collection of two-foot-tall fiber-feathered fowl “footstools.” “Birds of Feathe... Read more
UMKC pitch challenge awards $95K+ for ‘entrepreneur state of mind’ in and outside the classroom
Winning $15,000 in Friday’s pitch competition at UMKC’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge felt like the culmination of years of hard work and development, said Iyshia Sims. “Oh my gosh, I’m just so proud of myself,” said Sims, founder of... Read more
InvestMidwest returns to St. Louis May 6-7 for Midwest venture capital forum’s 25th year
ST. LOUIS — About 50 startups — including some of Kansas City’s most high-profile emerging companies — are expected to pitch to more than 100 investors May 6-7 when the InvestMidwest conference turns St. Louis into the gateway to innovation. “O... Read more
Family’s Japanese-inspired fabric gift wrap hits a home run with new fans (and an iconic American baseball team)
At the intersection of heritage and innovation, a Kansas City family business is pitching a new way to gift, through vibrant fabric package wraps that carry both meaning and intention — even catching the attention of an unexpected collaborator:... Read more
Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the h... Read more
Tech veterans launch startup studio to back next-wave SaaS products with founder-led thinking
Backed by years of entrepreneurial wins, the team behind Full Scale and the exited Stackify just announced a new product studio and startup lab concept — purpose-built for what founder Matt Watson called the post-playbook SaaS era. “Founders tod... Read more
Great art stands on its own merits, said Diane Scott, but if the artist behind a piece can’t or doesn’t sell their vision to the world, their expression hasn’t achieved its goal. “Nobody makes art to not share it with other people,” added Scott,... Read more
Community honors ‘relentless storm’ of Chicano culture (starting with its unsung women)
An emotional celebration of Chicana women leaders, artists, and advocates earlier this month centered on honoring resilience and reclaiming identity — something Deanna Muñoz once felt pressured to hide. “I used to shrink myself,” said Muñoz, fou... Read more