Startup Road Trip

This retro arcade and restaurant is revitalizing downtown with more than just flavors of nostalgia

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.  TOPEKA — In the capital city of Todd Renner’s youth, he could ride his skateboard through downtown and not be bothered by anyone if he picked the right time of…

Startup launches workforce readiness game, scaling its Kansas-built talent crisis solution national

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.  WICHITA — A newly opened, nationwide digital game tournament aims to help students adopt the life skills needed to start careers wherever they live, said Robert Feeney, describing how his…

Ingredients in your burrito bowl could be grown by agbots; Chipotle’s $50M venture fund wraps investment in Kansas robotics startup

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.  A minority investment from Chipotle Mexican Grill’s $50 million Cultivate Next venture fund is expected to help bring a Kansas tech company’s autonomous weeding robots into the fold as the…

How a Kansas chocolate shop dips into decades of decadence, creativity for timeless treats

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.  TOPEKA — Hazel Hill Chocolate embodies a three-generation family tradition that today applies freestyling innovation to craft custom and award-winning handmade chocolate and confections in the heart of Kansas. “I…

Purple Wave’s strategic partnership with global auction site will take KS tech international

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.  MANHATTAN, Kansas — A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is expected to help homegrown auction tech company Purple Wave scale into the global brand its co-founders always dreamed it could be, said Aaron…