Topeka approves $5.9M for innovation campus, locking in key funding for animal health, ag hub
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
KC’s long-running online indie music magazine just debuted in print; why its founder saved advertising for the black-and-white page
Flashy digital ads and gimmicky marketing schemes aren’t telling the stories (or singing the praises) of artists who run counter to Kansas City’s mainstream, said Aaron Rhodes, founder of a niche music magazine newly hitting the streets this spr... Read more
Social entrepreneur cuts into kids’ shaken self-esteem: I can’t save them all, but I can put smiles on a few faces
When Megan Williams’ daughter was diagnosed with hearing loss, the challenge put her confidence to the test. “Sometimes kids are cruel,” Williams, a local hair stylist and salon owner, said of concerns her family faced as they sent the 5-year-o... Read more
Overwhelmed, but not alone: How a KC serial entrepreneur helps Black founders move beyond side hustles and daydreaming
As Kira Cheree drove down I-70, headed west from Kansas City to Manhattan, Kansas, she recalled the years of work that put her in the driver’s seat and behind the wheel at that particular moment. “I started to notice this trend,” said Che... Read more
Healium partners with T-Mobile, transporting veterans to DC memorials via virtual Honor Flight
Veterans living in rural America can experience the sights and sounds of the nation’s war memorials in Washington D.C. thanks to a Kansas City-area startup’s virtual reality technology, powered by T‑Mobile 5G. “We are losing our World War II vet... Read more
Leah Hermida brought coffee home to KCK; her Windmill KC cafe already needs more space
In the shadow of the Kansas City skyline, new entrepreneurial energy is brewing in Wyandotte County, the childhood home of Leah Hermida. “I knew the community really well,” Hermida said from her pandemic-opened, Turner-based coffee shop, The Wi... Read more
Torch.AI set to create nearly 500 new KC jobs; why region’s ‘tapestry of talent’ means aggressive hiring ahead
A Leawood-based artificial intelligence firm on Friday announced plans to create nearly 500 full-time jobs in the region over the next five years — with the backing of the State of Kansas and the boost of a recent $30 million round. Building a... Read more
Startland News earns nine awards with first entry into Kansas journalism contest
Startland News celebrated its sixth birthday this week with news of its own — announcing nine awards from the Kansas Press Association for reporting and photography in 2020. The honors include four first-place wins for Startland News from among... Read more
Missouri House advances pro-entrepreneur bill that would lower taxes on self-starters
A vision to make Missouri more entrepreneur-friendly moved closer to reality Monday as state legislators passed a first-in-the-nation Right To Start Act, advancing the bill to the Senate on an 85-69 vote. “We made progress today to make Missouri... Read more
$1.7M+ crowdfunding haul puts ChessUp in attack position for production, hiring top talent
The makers of ChessUp are at a million-dollar advantage after the close of their first crowdfunding campaign. “It’s what we dreamed about and hoped for,” Jeff Wigh, CEO and one of three co-founders behind Bryght Labs, maker of ChessUp, said of... Read more