Nightlife app enhances its flavor with Westport Bars, KC brewing company partnerships
A strategic partnership with Westport Bars is going to do more than drive partygoers to the UpDown Nightlife app, Joshua Lewis said; it will give the startup data needed to scale its platform nationwide. “Through this partnership, we’re going to... Read more
Tesseract Ventures awarded $1.25M grant for R&D at home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber
One of Kansas City’s most innovative startups announced Thursday a direct-to-Phase II SBIR Grant with Whiteman Air Force Base — teaming the next-generation robotics leader with the U.S. military to launch smart technology with global impact, sai... Read more
This North Kansas City hub will be base camp for GEWKC 2022; Deadline for event applications nears
KCSourceLink announced this week that Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City, the metro’s largest celebration of entrepreneurship, has a new base camp for its 15th year. The Nov. 14-20 weeklong event series is setting its main events at iWerx... Read more
‘Fan favorite’ among KC startups joining Wichita cohort; the prize: a playbook for reaching corporate customers
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, w... Read more
Stream smarter, safer: Former Cisco engineer aims to replace Zoom as top video conferencing platform
Kenneth Yancy has been live streaming since the early 2000s — a time when not many were interested in the technology, he said. But 20 years later, a virtual-hybrid work model featuring video conferencing is the norm. “In 2001, I was working for... Read more
Former music promoter Adell Hendon said he knew he couldn’t keep the turnup going forever on his own. Now the Kansas City native is helping other people party even longer with his socially-interactive virtual jukebox app — YouSpin. “I used to th... Read more
When it came time to plant Trevor McKeeman’s agtech startup, he refused to farm the groundbreaking company’s future out to the coasts — specifically California where potential funders said he could find “money and talent.” “I was actually in Bos... Read more
Kharissa Parker-Forte is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and columnist for Startland News. Read her “Holistic Hustle” columns for Startland News here. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.c... Read more
Growing up in Olathe, Brett Crawford doesn’t really remember many places for local artists to put their work on display, he said. But times have changed and the artist and musician, who moved back to the Kansas City area during the pandemic, wil... Read more
55-shoe collection to online sneaker platform: How Nazr El-Scari opened a market to affordable, rare kicks
Sneakers are a distinct statement of individuality, Nazr El-Scari said, lacing up his venture’s sole purpose: to put dream shoes within reach “Growing up, I remember the excitement of opening a new pair of shoes. My older brother and his friends... Read more



























