A hobbyist venture that began with making shirts for her kids has earned Julie Swopes a spot on Made in KC’s shelves for her Chiefs- and Royals-inspired tees — along with one of the local-first retailer’s top honors: KC New Maker of the Year for... Read more
Ready to bet big? Kansas wants to help entrepreneurs win more federal innovation grants
Kansas innovators now have access to a new tool designed to help them compete for major federal funding. The Kansas Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s SBIR and STTR Matching Program, which provides financial support a... Read more
Don’t be a stranger: When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind)
With two more Open Mic Nights and more than a month left on its lease at Afterword Tavern & Shelves — a cozy corner hotspot where patrons leisurely bond over drinks and good reads — the popular Crossroads third-space isn’t finished telling i... Read more
Exporting KC to the world: Esports leader revs come-from-behind global takeover amid World Cup’s big draw
As the metro bundled up and showed out Friday, getting its latest taste of what the 2026 World Cup has in store, the Kansas City Pioneers dropped new heat — raising the thermostat on their commitment to seize the moment brought forth by the glob... Read more
The ultra successful all share one common influence, said Peter Mallouk: luck. And for the president and CEO of Creative Planning, good fortune has revolved around Kansas City. It all started when his parents left Egypt and ended up in Brookside... Read more
How UMKC’s top student entrepreneur found shelter (and a path forward) as a founder
Shapree Marshall’s path began with shared struggle, re-routed to survival — and ultimately made a stop Wednesday evening at H&R Block’s World Headquarters where the startup founder was honored as UMKC’s 2025 Student Entrepreneur of the Year.... Read more
First look: Made in KC’s new Union Station shop boasts all the trimmings (and World Cup timing)
An influx of holiday shoppers is just the start for Made in KC’s newly-opened store inside Union Station — positioned to take advantage of coming FIFA World Cup traveler traffic — years after the local-first retailer’s owners first envisioned ma... Read more
Frustrated by the fit, this traveler-turned-swimwear founder crafted 10 pairs himself; now his trunk show is going global
Opening a popup swimwear store in one of Atlanta’s most upscale malls represented a surge of momentum for Tristan Davis’ high-end brand that began not on a beach or a runway, but in Kansas City’s tight-knit startup community. “We’ve gone from an... Read more
KC Tech Council reboots its visual identity, teases plans to open new downtown HQ
It’ll be new year, new look for KC Tech Council as the regional tech advocate relocates to a collaborative headquarters space in downtown Kansas City, as well as embracing a bold brand update — all coded to better reflect a modern, tech-driven e... Read more
A romantic hideaway (for you and a book): Entrepreneur’s heart for reading opens store on Independence Square
America Fontenot didn’t plan to launch her new Independence bookstore on national Small Business Saturday — the busiest shopping weekend of the year — but renovation delays just kept pushing back the opening, she said. So while many small shops... Read more

























