Critical hire: Founder-turned-VC scout joins Technology Venture Studio as senior director
Kela Ivonye’s arrival at UMKC’s Technology Venture Studio couldn’t have come at a better time, said Maria Meyers, touting the award-winning startup founder’s lived experience as a tech leader, venture scout and ecosystem builder.
Pure Pitch Rally narrows cohort to five startups, focusing resources for spot-cash pitch event
A new format for one of Kansas City’s longest-running pitch competitions is expected to help winning startup founders earn a larger share of funding, greater resources and more individualized guidance from industry experts, said founder Karen Fenaroli, announcing five contenders selected for the 2026 Pure Pitch Rally.
Surprise inside: Her shop unwrapps ‘treat culture’ for those who never outgrew the joy of toys
Bubble Wrapp KC is more than just a Midtown destination for the latest blind boxes targeted to discerning toy collectors, its owner shared. The space sits at the intersection of creativity, nostalgia, and togetherness, she said, calling it a mission that’s always been bigger than selling novelties.
How EZ Pedicabs’ streetcar collaboration opened a new route to connected culture, art
Launched ahead of this month’s First Friday events in the Crossroads Arts District, the “Partners in Transit” effort pairs the streetcar with homegrown EZ Pedicabs, an electric-assisted pedicab service known for its eye-catching string lights and dangling knitted hearts.
Poor leaders can tank employees’ mental health (and the company); his business summit puts workplace culture on blast
“I’m a big believer in human to human connection because there’s so much loneliness and isolation happening,” explained Ebrima “Abraham” Sisay, host of the You Gotta No! Podcast (YGN) and its annual YGN Summit. “That’s because we’re getting further away from what we are meant to do as humans.”