Keystone Innovation District

‘This is a different type of founder’: LaunchKC reveals latest social venture cohort

Kansas City’s startup community has helped Trina Nudson feel seen and understood as an emerging entrepreneur, the Be Aligned founder shared. A spot in this year’s Social Venture Studio cohort could help her dig even deeper into the business realities of the unknown, she said. “I’m an attorney, and if you turn to a fellow…

More than a check: How a Google partnership is fueling an OnRamp to AI education at Keystone

Twin AI education programs launching this spring and summer at Keystone CoLabs serve as proof points for what corporate-community partnerships can look like when designed for lasting impact rather than optics, said Kevin McGinnis. 

Keystone Angels takes wing with emerging leader; next up: saving startups from the valley of death

A familiar face in Kansas City’s business ecosystem is stepping into a leadership role aimed at tackling one of the biggest challenges facing local startup founders: access to early-stage funding. In February, Regina Sosa Valdovinos launched into a newly-developed director position at Keystone Angels, an angel investment network focused on connecting founders with investors across…

Keystone launching corporate engagement accelerator to boost low-friction startup collabs

Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem gets its fair share of positive press thanks to a decade of momentum, Kevin McGinnis noted, but the region’s ability to scale innovative ideas to their potential remains stalled because corporations and startups lack an easy on-ramp for collaboration. “We have been listening for years to the ecosystem, to the community,…

Missouri Starters Coalition debuts effort to boost homegrown jobs, future founders 

Entrepreneurs across Missouri gained a new champion this week as regional and national advocates launched a new coalition to support builders in the face of systemic, confidence-shaking roadblocks as they seek to drive job creation and higher lifetime incomes. The Missouri Starters Coalition on Thursday unveiled its founding members — Back2KC, Cortex, E-Factory, Keystone Innovation…