Latest Stories
Yes, another total solar eclipse photo gallery
Like tens of thousands of people near the “path of totality,” the Kansas City Startup Foundation team trekked northward Monday to bask in the rarity of a total solar eclipse. As you can see from the photos, it was a tad cloudy at Smithville Lake — about 40 miles southeast of the crowds in St.…
Tommy Felts: How ruffled business feathers led me to Startland
My first attempt at entrepreneurship quickly ran afowl of reality. (Now before you assume the new guy at Startland doesn’t know how to spell “afoul,” please bear with me. I’ve earned my on-the-job Dad Joke credentials through hundreds of clever — some would say eye-rolling — puns that formed the character of my best headline…
Kauffman Foundation grants $78K to KC Startup Foundation, Startland hires managing editor
Continuing a commitment to cultivate its hometown entrepreneurial community, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has awarded a $78,600 grant to the Kansas City Startup Foundation. The foundation’s gift helps the KCSF expand the capacity and marketing of its programs to connect, educate and tell stories about area innovators. The KCSF — which recently merged with…
Eclipse watch: Drones to help UMKC-led researchers analyze gridlock
With all eyes on the sky for Monday’s rare solar eclipse, the heavens will be watching back. A team of volunteer drone pilots, research specialists and emergency management officials plan to use a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles to provide real-time observation and analysis of Kansas City-area traffic at two likely congestion points during the…
Universe of ‘things’ expanding rapidly, Big Bang says
Editor’s Note: To stay in consistent contact with founders, Startland News is launching a weekly follow-up series featuring top area startups and entrepreneurs. Imagining the future of the “Internet of Things” — a universe of connected devices — is as impossible today as accurately fathoming in 1995 how then-fledgling Internet technology would change the world,…
Four KC area firms land spots in Inc. 500 fastest growing list, dozens in top 5000
Forty Kansas City area firms are featured on the annual Inc. 5000 list, which includes the nation’s fastest growing businesses. Among them, four local firms were included in the more exclusive Inc. 500 list, with Lever 1 nabbing a No. 44 ranking. In 2016, only one Kansas City company made the 500 list, ranked No.…
EyeVerify announces name change, new product offering in Asia
Nearly a year after being acquired by Ant Financial for more than $100 million, Kansas City-based EyeVerify wants its new vision reflected in a new name. The biometrics tech firm is changing its name from EyeVerify to Zoloz, EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush wrote in a recent company blog post. The company, which at this time…
Techstars Spotlight: Ampogee ‘gamifies’ manufacturing work
Measure. Assemble. Test. Repeat. The monotony of manufacturing jobs might make it difficult for workers to feel appreciated and recognize their impact. Ampogee’s solution: Game on. The Greensboro, North Carolina-based startup — which earned a spot on the inaugural Techstars KC cohort last month — has developed a software-as-a service platform, which “gamifies” employee performance.…
CityShape offers KC’s fitness-minded variety, exercise exploration
Variety is key to connecting a diverse fitness community, Shannon McGinley said. Her company, CityShape Fitness, aims to bridge the gaps by offering web-based monthly memberships that give users access to a range of gyms and studios across the metro. “It’s about building community in Kansas City, and connecting people to all the tools…
Deadlines loom for funding, educational and fellowship opportunities
Opportunities abound, Kansas City. Whether you’re an early stage entrepreneur looking for some extra cash, representing an organization aiming to double down on its efforts, or someone seeking mentorship, the Kansas City entrepreneurial community has options available — if you take the initiative. To lend a hand, we’ve gathered some timely opportunities. Act quickly! Deadlines are…
CPR alert! KC Fire adopting tech to notify bystanders of cardiac arrest
Embracing innovation and collaboration, the Kansas City Fire Department is expected to launch technology this month that is designed to notify residents trained in CPR when a person in their vicinity experiences sudden cardiac arrest and is awaiting first responders. Sudden cardiac arrest is responsible for about 350,000 deaths a year, according to the American…
KC’s Site 1001 eyes Raleigh as next smart city, opens innovation office
Following the firm’s $6 million raise earlier this month, Kansas City-based Site 1001 recently announced it selected the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, for a new office and innovation center. A technology spin out from Kansas City construction giant JE Dunn Construction, the firm said in a release that it plans to work with Raleigh’s…
Voting open: KC-based efforts vie for spots among SXSW 2018 panels
SXSW 2018 is still six months away, but members of the Kansas City startup community need supporters’ help now to land a coveted spot on the Austin-based conference’s panel lineup for March. At least three proposals with KC ties are among those being considered during SXSW’s PanelPicker Community Voting process, which runs through Aug. 25.…
OYO Fitness flexes muscles internationally after $1M in US crowdfunding
The pressure isn’t letting up for OYO Fitness. With nearly $1 million in sales via crowdfunding already banked, the Kansas City-based fitness firm hopes to add more muscle to its brand by expanding into Asia. After previous success on U.S.-based Kickstarter and Indiegogo, OYO (On Your Own) Fitness launched its collapsible, portable gym product last…
BBQ Addicts co-owner tastes individual success on Food Network’s ‘Chopped’
Megan Day left the corporate world for sweeter pastures. Now the BBQ Addicts co-owner is glazing her own trail as a premier pitmaster. And for at least one big victory, it’s all caught on camera. The Kansas City-based entrepreneur advanced earlier this month in a special grill master tournament on Food Network’s “Chopped.” Day bested…
