Startups Stories
Peek inside Tesseract HQ: Robotics startup builds future in real time (with humans on the brain)
As an intentionally lowered screen begins to lift on Tesseract Ventures, once-seemingly-wild ideas that lived only in tech inventor John Boucard’s head are being realized. With them, the future of work is taking shape — 3D-printed piece by 3D-printed piece — hardwired in the suburbs of Kansas City. “We were a bit mysterious in the…
KC Crew dives into virtual entertainment, surviving long enough to reopen summer sports
When COVID-19 shut down organized sports across the city, Luke and Katy Wade went back to the basics to keep KC Crew active — putting a virtual spin on classic entertainment options. “Who would have thought bingo you know?” Luke Wade said, referencing his first experiment in finding an alternative diversion for a newly online-only…
KingFit acquisition fuels expansion plans in Mexico, focuses bilingual health tech startup
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. WICHITA…
New party-goers every 15 minutes: How KC-designed Mixaba could put humanity back into happy hour
Andrew Carlson is the first to admit he isn’t the most vocal person at a party — but even he knew 30 people trying to talk over each other at a virtual happy hour isn’t the solution to socially distant socializing. “Right now everybody’s staring at each other behind the screen A one-on-one conversation is fairly…
Farm to flask: Spirit made from dairy byproduct aims to craft its own herd the right whey
Wheyward Spirit is about mixing more than a tasty tonic, said Emily Darchuk, creator of a whey-based alcohol that uses the liquid byproduct of making dairy products for a sustainable sip. “We’re doing things differently for the right reasons in creating a flavorful spirit that’s good enough to sip straight, but it’s also taking a…
