Startups Stories

Rob Magee, Q39; Photo courtesy of Q39

Q39 savors doubled sales as barbecue-craving Kansas City drives pandemic survival to-go

Kansas City’s restaurant scene will come roaring back in 2021, predicted Rob Magee, serving up a look back at Q39’s wildest year in business and offering his take on what’s made the fast-casual barbecue joint so popular with customers.  “We’re going to get through this pandemic. Kansas City will rise right back up to the…

Tape Eater by Mixtape Monkey

Mixtape Monkey brings old school file sharing into 2021 with Tape Eater music app

 Editor’s note: This article is underwritten by Plexpod — a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes — but was independently produced by Startland News. Reviving the nostalgia of the early 2000s music industry, Mark Serrano designed an app where users can file share “mixtapes” straight from their…

Nick and Jess Phillips, Hyprcubd

Linking tech to humanity: Hyprcubd integrates collaboration among IoT community

Editor’s note: This article is underwritten by Plexpod — a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes — but was independently produced by Startland News. Building a company that solves real-world problems for tech founders isn’t easy — but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done, Jess Phillips said. …

Austin Wilson, GovTech Labs

He came to KC for remote work and low-cost living; he stayed to found his own GovTech company

When remote work opportunities brought Austin Wilson to Kansas City in 2019, playing the role of founder wasn’t yet on his mind — until he met a community of starters willing to do anything it took to make their city in the image of innovation, he recalled. “There’s no better time for innovation than in a…

Matt Shatto, Shatto Home Delivery

This milkman delivers community impact: Why Shatto added local makers’ products to its trucks

Shatto Milk is making good on its promise to connect local people to local products, Matt Shatto said, pouring details that revealed the true meaning behind the dairy startup’s push to expand its delivery service.  “I was very frustrated with how people were bastardizing the use of the word ‘local,’” added Shatto, who co-founded the…