The support of Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community — and the “land sharks” at this year’s Pure Pitch Rally — means the world to MedCurate founder and CEO Ashley McClellan, she shared. “They have just wrapped their arms around me as I’v... Read more
AltCap Your Biz reveals 10 finalists vying for $25K grand prize at cornerstone GEWKC event
A competition aimed at mobilizing the next generation of entrepreneurs and social innovators — along with awarding more than $40,000 in cash prizes to its winners — announced Monday the 10 finalists vying for its 2023 honors. AltCap Your Biz ret... Read more
LaunchKC liftoff: Meet 13 startups competing for their share of $300K in grant winnings
Kansas City’s premiere grants competition returns in mere weeks with six $50,000 grants on the line, said Becca Castro, and more than dozen startup founders are being interviewed this week to help determine the winners. LaunchKC — a partnership... Read more
Critics challenge DEI as ‘immoral’; this VC has a message for those seeking equity for Black, Brown founders: We are not powerless
Pushing for equity in long-siloed industries might seem obvious to some, said Marcus Whitney, but advocates for change must remember that not everyone is on board — and some are actively working against level the playing field. “I hate to say it... Read more
‘This one felt pretty epic’: PorchFestKC saturates neighbors with six hours of music, 135 artists
Returning to the steps for PorchFestKC four years later — albeit on a different porch and in a new neighborhood — Erica McKenzie was wowed by the walk-up audience’s reaction to her performance Saturday at the resurrected Midtown music festival.... Read more
Acquiring company: Homebase’s KC team will make valuable workforce, leadership additions
Homebase’s acquisition by an industry leader in the smart home space this week gives its Kansas City team a greater voice in redefining the future of living, said Blake Miller, sharing details of what the exit means for the talent at his Crossro... Read more
His KC theater shines spotlight on queer voices; How one playwright is giving stage time to a new wave of talent
Kansas City’s theater scene should be a safe and comfortable space, said Kevin King, detailing his effort to specifically provide a place where queer voices can not only feel heard, but celebrated. “Since 2019, we’ve been basically gay all the... Read more
JQ Sirls is the king of his own universe; his new book puts a distinctly Black hero at the center of it
JQ Sirls started popping through the multiverse as a child; escaping through various worlds and alternate realities via stories like “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Wizard of Oz” — as well as magical realms he created himself.... Read more
Donutology’s trolley adds new flavor to River Market with streetcar shop stop’s opening
Kansas City’s new treat trolley has arrived with Friday’s opening of the new Donutology donut shop within a 70-year-old repurposed streetcar in River Market. Just a few months after news broke that Donutology would take over the space at 426 Del... Read more
Feds award $500K for Goodwill, LaunchCode jobs training effort through STEM Tech Challenge
Nearly a half-million dollars in federal funds are expected to help two local programs forge a new STEM-based job training initiative to help Kansas City-region job seekers find permanent high-wage careers in tech. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Ka... Read more