News Stories

Ben McKenzie speaks during the "Trust Me I'm Famous: Ben McKenzie Questions Crypto" session at SXSW; photo by Travis P Ball/Getty Images

Celebrity crypto critic: Overhyped NFTs are just the free drink to lure you into the casino

Editor’s note: The following story is part of Startland News’ coverage of the SXSW conference in Austin. Click here to read more stories from the 2022 trip. AUSTIN — TV star and economist Ben McKenzie balked at the prospect of downloading a “free” NFT promoted by a vendor this week at SXSW — one of…

Mark Zuckerberg speaks to SXSW attendees at the 2022 conference in Austin

He’s bringing NFTs to Instagram; how Mark Zuckerberg’s next move could push you further into the metaverse

Editor’s note: The following story is part of Startland News’ coverage of the SXSW conference in Austin. Click here to read more stories from the 2022 trip. AUSTIN — NFTs are headed to Instagram — but the virtual assets aren’t the only thing Mark Zuckerberg has planned for humanity’s journey deep into the metaverse.  “That’s…

Dreamgirl hits the start button at SXSW; why the KC band tells its peers to break out of the Midwest

Editor’s note: The following story is part of Startland News’ coverage of the SXSW conference in Austin. Click here to read more stories from the 2022 trip. AUSTIN — Dreamgirl describes itself as a family — a bit dysfunctional at times, but nonetheless family, members of the Kansas City-based band shared, laughing the morning before their…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaking at SXSW; photo by Channa Steinmetz/Startland News

Climate change innovation, leadership must be built at the local level, Buttigieg tells SXSW

Editor’s note: The following story is part of Startland News’ coverage of the SXSW conference in Austin. Click here to read more stories from the 2022 trip. AUSTIN — The keys to solving climate change could already be in the ignition, Pete Buttigieg said, empowering a crowd of innovation leaders to sit in the passenger…

Alex Krause Matlack, Sit Foundry

Sit Foundry takes a stand for ‘lost art’ of upholstery amid fast furniture’s climate threat

Alex Krause Matlack is bringing what she teaches in the classroom to Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as she pursues Sit Foundry — an all-inclusive reupholstery design studio.  “In the first week of my Intro to Entrepreneurship class, I tell my students to go out into the world and take notice of the problems they face….