Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Rhonda Dolan, Udo

Rhonda Dolan, on-demand personal assistant Udo honored as Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year

A lunchtime affair at the 2019 Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Awards quickly turned from celebratory mingling to shock and awe for Rhonda Dolan. “For [the Chamber] to recognize my efforts over the last year, which have been pretty intense, means a lot,” said Dolan, founder and CEO of Udo, reflecting on her…

DeepLens, Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

UMKC awards students $75K in prizes at Regnier Venture Creation Challenge

Student startups are growing rapidly on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, said Bryan Boots. Such acceleration has been further propelled thanks to the recent distribution of $75,000 in prize money, awarded to a series of winners of the Regnier Venture Creation Challenge Competition May 2-3, split across events at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation…

Prime Digital Academy

Prime Digital Academy pledges $20K in scholarships to boost inclusion in KC tech

A coding boot camp that freshly arrived in Kansas City this winter plans to underwrite $20,000 in scholarships specifically for individuals who are part of demographics underrepresented in the coding profession, said Rachael Bromander. “At a time in the market where tech talent is scarce and growth is booming, programs like Prime represent a way…

Next KCMO mayor needs this personality trait to build trust, Sly James says

The role of mayor doesn’t always require being “the lead dog on the sled,” said Sly James. Rather, it’s an opportunity for a bridge between those knowledgeable enough to make change, the outgoing KCMO mayor added. “I sit in a position where — let’s say generally, not always — when I call, people call me…

Sarah Mote, KCSourceLink

KCultivator Q&A: Sarah Mote inspired by radical thinkers, lowbrow humor, taking KCSourceLink social

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Quiet startups fueled by overcoming struggles are always the most fascinating stories,…