News Stories

How SCORE helped an entrepreneur’s late-night eureka moment turn into a thriving skewer business

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 help they need — when they need it. ST. LOUIS — Shirley Washington’s middle-of-the-night inspiration — mixed…

Bardavon’s latest funding round gets a KC boost, supports Recovery+ new product rollout

A transformative product release from one of Kansas City’s leading healthtech companies coincides with a meaningful funding round — marking a new chapter in workers’ compensation, as well as for Bardavon’s recently announced new CEO, the company said. Financial details of the round — led by WestCap and NewRoad Capital Partners, with participation from KCRise Fund…

Kauffman Foundation revises funding priorities to three key areas, sharing first public details of its new strategic focus

A refreshed vision for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation aims to make Kansas City a national model for equitable economic mobility, dismantling systemic barriers and setting generations of historically under-resourced communities on the path to prosperity, according to just-released details from the influential organization. Updates to the Kauffman Foundation’s strategy come after the summer 2023…

Jeff Rohr, SquareOffs

MTC hits $50M investment milestone through its state-sponsored venture capital program

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri — A Show-Me State program launched a decade ago to drive economic development in Missouri and support tech founders has surpassed $50 million in equity-based investments for nearly 160 Missouri-based technology startups. The Missouri Technology Corporation announced the milestone Tuesday, lauding its Innovation, Development, and Entrepreneurial Advancement (IDEA) Fund for impact that…

How Independence’s new speakeasy vibes tie into the ‘goats and rabbits’ of Kansas City’s past

Revitalization efforts needn’t overwrite history, said Bree and Travis Gensler, whose new venture in downtown Independence aims to infuse spirits of 2024 into the historic square without losing memories of the area’s storied past. Their latest pour: The Sentinel Room. Four years ago, the couple purchased a building on Lexington Avenue that contains three commercial…