4,000 vacant jobs won’t fill themselves, says KC Tech Council, launching apprenticeship program for tech talent
A recurring theme in Kansas City’s tech circles: not enough skilled workers to fit the open job opportunities, said Ryan Weber. “That shouldn’t surprise people because it’s not a Kansas City problem — it’s a national problem,” said Weber, presid... Read more
Tom Corbin Continued: Famed KC sculptor shapes decades of creativity into a work of art
Like many in the entrepreneur community, nationally renowned sculptor and painter Tom Corbin didn’t truly embrace his calling until hitting a wall at his uninspiring day job. “I was selling corrugated boxes, of all things, for a big corporation,... Read more
Only made in KC: Sandlot Goods revives iconic ‘KC hat’ with 25-step, felt-to-field production
The classic, Baldwin-style KC hat is back in the game — boasting a newly drafted team of makers and a modern twist on its otherwise traditional look, Sandlot Goods announced. “With most major hat manufacturers moving their production overseas,... Read more
Victorian hair artist resurrects dead art form; talks representation for asexual, disabled communities
For as long as Courtney Lane can remember, she’s had a fascination with the ways people memorialize their deceased loved ones, the Kansas City hair artist said. “I had a family who didn’t shelter me from the concept of death,” Lane recalled. “Wh... Read more
New in KC: Quarantine with family leads Techmate founder to open office in Kansas City
Editor’s note: New in KC is an ongoing profile series that highlights newly relocated members of the Kansas City startup community, their reasons for a change of scenery, and what they’ve found so far in KC. Click here to read more New in KC pro... Read more
Kansas City residents and workers are safer at home, Mayor Quinton Lucas said Monday, announcing new KCMO guidelines aimed at mitigating the spread of the Coronavirus and decreasing the strain on the region’s hospitals and health care workers. L... Read more
Off the rack: Tesseract’s next wearable robot tech — interactive tees with embedded intelligence
It wouldn’t be a Tesseract Ventures original if it lacked hard-wired flair, John Boucard said, showing off the metro’s leading robotics startup’s newest creation — interactive tees. “What we’ve developed is some embedded intelligence inside the... Read more
Fur-miliar faces: Teacher-turned-entrepreneur captures pet personalities through custom art
Combining her love for art and animals, Chris Bohannon is happily letting pets and passion guide her entrepreneur journey. “I absolutely adore animals,” said Bohannon, the artist behind Artist KC — a Waldo-based small business specializing in cu... Read more
From Aussie garage to unicorn: How SafetyCulture continues its climb in an ever-changing environment
Starting from humble beginnings, SafetyCulture earned its membership in the Australian unicorn club this year with a $1.3 billion valuation, said Nick Topping. “Our CEO and founder Luke Anear actually founded the company [in 2004] out of his gar... Read more
GEWKC conversation: Black women are building tech — but are we building them?
A coalition of organizations working to connect early-stage founders to critical resources — with an emphasis on equitable access — is shining the spotlight on Black women in tech during this week’s premier entrepreneurship event series, Global... Read more