News Stories

Michael Odupitan, Omni Circle Group; photo by @BriJoRaePusch-Zuniga

Topeka is building its own startup hub; a new group is pushing those left out from survival mode to creation

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. The…

Ben Chaverin, from Behind the Sunset - Apparition

Trade to troubadour: Ben Chaverin finds his hook, but just sampling KC’s music scene might not be enough

Entering the job market amid a global pandemic isn’t ideal, Ben Chaverin admits, but its challenges can become opportunities for those creative (and willing) enough to turn adversity into a new playlist.  “I’ve learned so much in the last couple of years — and grown so much as a human being,” Chaverin said, recalling his December…

Long Lost Cold Brew; Startland News photo

Why the ‘best cold brew you’ve ever tasted’ (and it’s brewer) are found only in KC

Tucked in your neighborhood grocer’s cooler waits an otherworldly cold brew — the smoothest this side of the twilight zone. And it can only be found in Kansas City. For now. “I take my craft really seriously and I taste every batch. If it’s not right, it doesn’t go out. It’s really important to me…

Jon Kramer and Brian Weaver, Torch.AI

Torch.AI acquisition boosts its national security thumbprint, building out workforce proudly in KC

Leveraging Torch.AI’s local talent alongside targeted acquisitions gets the Leawood artificial intelligence firm closer to its goal of securely sharing data with the world, said Brian Weaver, founder and CEO, committing to keeping the surging company in Kansas City. “As our technology is being adopted by more and more customers and those customers continue to…

Bootleg Bourbon Balls

Not too late for the ‘naughty’ list: Roll into 2022 with a year-round Kansas City bourbon ball

A nip of locally distilled Tom’s Town bourbon mingles with bittersweet chocolate and a bourbon pecan mash with each bite into “guilty pleasure” — one of dozens of “notoriously naughty” bourbon and rum balls made by Lisa Fitch. “A lot of people associate them with the holidays, like they do with divinity fudge,” explained Fitch, founder…