LaunchKC finalists: Meet 13 tech startups vying for six $50K grants in rebooted competition
A revived LaunchKC grants competition is set to return in mid-November with more than a dozen companies vying for $300,000 in non-dilutive funding. Finalists were announced Friday. The 13 Kansas City companies selected to compete Nov. 15 were na... Read more
Federal funds will power Missouri investments for the next 8 years; here’s how your startup can apply
Applications are now open for a popular state-run co-investment program that can provide up to a $2 million equity-based investment in Missouri-based companies that have identified a lead investor for the round. The revived Venture Capital Progr... Read more
Black Pantry expands nationally through online shop; founder works to set new standard for buying Black
Kansas City’s premier boutique for Black-owned essentials always had its sights set on building a national identity, said Brian Roberts, but he needed to prove himself and his business on the local level first. “A lot of people were pushing me... Read more
MO-built app enhances AMBER Alert system, rallying users to search for missing children
People care about saving missing and exploited children, said Josh Schisler — but the current alert system is outdated, leaving members of the public without a clear understanding of how they should respond to alerts. “I think there is no short... Read more
Robin Moore loves to cook with mushrooms, but she couldn’t always find the variety — like Lion’s Mane — she wanted at Kansas City stores. So she started growing them herself; ultimately turning the surplus into her own small business. “I’v... Read more
KC firm invests $56M in LGTB+ owned 10KC to reimagine a more inclusive workplace (that employees won’t want to leave)
A funding infusion from a leading Kansas City venture capital firm comes at a critical time as employees struggle to connect in a hybrid work world, said Ten Thousand Coffees (10KC), announcing its first institutional raise since the company... Read more
RNAi-tech startup takes lead from psychotropics, medical cannabis veteran with new CEO pick
ST. LOUIS — Steve Meyer sees opportunity in RNAissance Ag — an offshoot Kansas City-grown TechAccel — especially its portfolio of safe biopesticides and novel RNAi manufacturing technology. “I believe the full potential of RNAi-based solutions i... Read more
A winning afternoon at the Pure Pitch Rally is validation Dr. Brandy Archie’s healthtech accessibility app is providing connections people actually need, she said. “That’s the most important thing to me,” said Archie, founder of AskSAMIE. “The f... Read more
Mid x Midwest aims to connect 50 VCs with 50 startups; why this new meetup is coming to KC
Traveling throughout the U.S. for business, Dan Kerr regularly comes across investors who have heard rumblings about the burgeoning Kansas City tech startup ecosystem, he said. But one problem persists: most of these potential funders have never... Read more