Startups Stories

Ryan Weber, KC Tech Council; and Greg Kratofil, Polsinelli

Report: KC tech industry brings in $12B, attracts Hyperloop, but city still struggling to fill talent pool

Despite facing a shortage of skilled talent, the tech industry in Kansas City contributed roughly $12 billion — or about 10 percent — to the local economy in 2018, according to an annual report released by the KC Tech Council, a nonprofit that aims to spur tech growth in the city. Nearly one in 10…

Sandy Kemper, C2FO unicorn

Fresh off $200M funding haul, C2FO acquires India’s largest payment platform in bid to expand market position

Kansas City-built C2FO will continue to expand its global prowess with the acquisition of India-based Priority Vendor, the startup announced Thursday.  “This is an important milestone in C2FO India’s journey,” said Pradeep Gode, C2FO’s country head for India, in a release about the acquisition of Priority Vendor — India’s largest early payment platform.  The move…

The Woodsmiths

Playing for tips and contacts: Artist-entrepreneurs travel across Midwest to fill PorchFestKC with music

Kansas City is a world-class destination for entrepreneurial musicians and artists hoping to hit high notes in business, said Dominic Roy. “I’m a singer-songwriter who’s trying to make it. I don’t want fame or glory or anything like that. I just want people to relate and I want people to feel what I’m trying to…

Kathryn Golden, PorchFestKC

One-woman act with 68 stages: Kathryn Golden rallies 152 bands for PorchFestKC

A front porch concert isn’t the typical way to meet your neighbors, Kathryn Golden admitted, but it’s unconventional experiences like those that truly unite communities, the PorchFestKC founder said from atop a stoop in the Midtown Roanoke neighborhood. PorchFestKC — the city’s original porch-packed community music celebration, which returns Saturday for its fifth year —…

Is KC getting lapped? Kansas City scores No. 13 among Top 25 Midwestern cities in M25 ranking

Kansas City is maintaining a spot firmly in the middle of the pack among the top 25 Midwestern startup cities — in large part thanks to a $100-plus million growth equity investment in PayIt earlier this year, according to a new ranking by M25. The mega-round for Kansas City’s leading GovTech startup kept the City…