Startups Stories

Pure Pitch Rally 2019; photo by Mikaela Wendel

Baiting the sharks: How much on-the-spot funding did founders catch at Pure Pitch Rally?

A diverse group of entrepreneurs took home $43,000 in cash prizes from Tuesday’s Pure Pitch Rally at The American restaurant. Emulating the popular TV show “Shark Tank,” about 45 investors — or “land sharks” — evaluated presentations from eight Kansas City tech startups and donated $1,000 to one of the companies at the conclusion of…

Nick Wehrle and Greg Blome, Omega Power Creamer

KC-frothed Omega Power Creamer wins supermarket sweep with Walmart distribution deal

Welcome the unexpected, Greg Blome said in reflection of the pitch that landed Omega Power Creamer a supermarket sweep: a 224-store distribution deal with Walmart.  “[Walmart] reached out to us and they were interested in carrying our products — or at least in us pitching them — and we were already selling on Walmart.com ……

Evan Brown, Doodle Dood

Doodle Dood paints between lines of business and art with Iron District mural, apparel

Evan Brown refuses to draw out his accomplishments — or even the failures behind them — as he paints the career of a budding illustrator and muralist, he said. “I don’t really dwell. … That might be the reason I’ve been getting more and more projects within the past year,” said Brown, KC-based maker and…

Andrea Savage, FeedKC, Pure Pitch Rally

UMKC student-led FeedKC will pitch for donations, connections at Pure Pitch Rally

Continuing a tradition of showcasing student entrepreneurs, Tuesday’s Pure Pitch Rally is expected to feature a pitch from FeedKC, a group run by students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. And thanks to a private donor to the UMKC Bloch School of Management, all funds designated for FeedKC will be matched up to $10,000. Click…

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…