News Stories

Bo Lais, Lula

Lula posts $3M round from single VC investor as proptech startup rapidly scales

A $3 million injection of funding for Lula means more jobs for Kansas City, revealed Bo Lais.  But that’s not all it signals, he added, noting the fast-growing startup to watch is well on its way to achieving major milestones in 2022.  “We truly believe in solving real problems in this industry and always think…

Theresa “Ting” Santos, Ting’s Filipino Bistro

Ting’s takes a page from grandma’s cookbook, bringing Filipino fare to KC; second ‘dream’ location coming to 39th Street 

Filipino food goes hand-in-hand with Theresa “Ting” Santos’ fondest memories, she said. Wherever her family gathered to celebrate or just simply be together, food followed.  “It’s always been a passion of mine to feed a lot of people. My grandma in the Philippines had her own little eatery. When I was little, I would go…

Amos King, Binary Noggin

Binary Noggin triples headcount, relocates to North Kansas City office in latest growth spurt

Binary Noggin is tripling its growth efforts with added headcount, an office relocation and a new consulting service line for clients, the surging software developer said Tuesday. “We’re extremely excited to be able to deepen the expertise within our services — and to increase value offerings for our clients,” said Amos King, CEO and founder…

TJ Roberts, Kinship Cafe

Chamber’s new ‘Superstars’ roster brings exposure to 2,000+ KC small businesses 

Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. An excited TJ Roberts took a quick break from shoveling snow Friday in the parking lot of his Kansas City, Kansas, coffee shop to post his elation…

Shonta Dabney, CoffeeFreshAF

‘My soul is being fed’: Shonta Dabney sips the small wins in her round-the-clock quest to bring Black-roasted coffee home

While most kids were drinking milk, juice, or plain old water — Shonta Dabney held a warm mug in her hands, sipping coffee at the kitchen table with her grandparents, she recalled.  “I have to be one of the very few Americans whose grandparents gave her coffee as a toddler,” Dabney laughed, looking back on where…