Tag: kansas city

‘Night Without Borders’ opens coffee house doors to honor heritage through harmony

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:08:29 +0000

Culture transcends borders, said Danny Soriano, surrounded Friday night in a popular Crossroads coffee shop by music, dance, art, food, and drinks that all shared a common link: Latino flavor.

KC GIFT orders a full meal with $100K Wah Gwan grant: Job creation (with a side of inspiration)

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:17:01 +0000

Young people on Kansas City’s east side need to see examples of what can be achieved when someone who looks like them works hard — and wins, said Tanyech Yarbrough, pledging to use her recent grant funding from KC G.I.F.T. to mirror entrepreneurship to her community, as well as expand her Troost eatery.

GEWKC returning to familiar venue (but its new destinations might surprise ticket holders)

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:19:38 +0000

When Global Entrepreneurship Week pulls into the station later this fall, Kansas City participants can expect a fresh experience inside one of the region’s most iconic landmarks, said Callie England, noting an intentional effort behind the scenes should help reroute the “best of the best” events onto custom agendas.

Wichita program drives highway of resources to more KC startups; founders tout who they met along the way

admin — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 23:10:28 +0000

Opening its doors to Midwest companies outside Kansas for the first time, a Wichita-based program that connects startups with the tools to better engage enterprise partners offered an added benefit to Kansas City entrepreneurs: a new ecosystem of support just a few hours from home.

Report: Tech drives nearly a 10th of Kansas City’s economy (and those employers are hiring)

admin — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 21:22:42 +0000

Advocates tout KC for top-tier tech talent; a new report affirms its status as an emerging market with potential for big impact

A combination of economic stability, depth and skill of talent, and operational efficiency creates conditions for companies to grow and succeed in Kansas City, said Kara Lowe, detailing new data that suggests the region is entering a growth phase ripe for tech companies.

InvestMidwest back in KC ahead of World Cup rush; four new leaders join board roster

admin — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 19:50:01 +0000

A powerhouse quartet of venture experts are on board for the next wave of InvestMidwest impact, said Claire Kinlaw, announcing plans for the two-day summit’s bounce back to Kansas City this spring as organizers push to boost deal flow in a region outside the startup-dense coasts.

Trailblazer on Troost among honored innovators for UMKC’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 20:12:53 +0000

This year’s signature Bloch School celebration — set for Dec. 3 — heralds the efforts and successes of experts in grassroots community-building, financial planning, DNA science

Earning the top social entrepreneurship award from UMKC is more than just the greatest recognition Father Justin Mathews has ever received, the faith leader-turned-community innovator said; it’s validation that work to heal Kansas City’s racial and economic divide is as critical as wealth creation elsewhere in the metro.

Fan favorite vote: AltCap Your Biz launches crowd-sourced contest as pitch event nears

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 15:09:27 +0000

One of 10 finalists in a popular fall pitch event for small businesses is expected to win $5,000 based solely on community votes, leaders at AltCap announced Friday, launching this year’s voting portal ahead of mid-November competition at Union Station.

“The Fan Favorite Contest invites the community to discover amazing local businesses, to learn about founders’ journeys, and to support our entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Bobby Burch, director of marketing and communications at AltCap. “We’re excited to see who the public crowns for the $5,000 cash prize.”

This Dirt Beast works the soil for $2 an hour; why harvesting joy from his urban farm fills the bag

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:20:01 +0000

Rows of peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and other vegetables now grow where more than a dozen Kansas City lots once sat vacant. The essence of Dirt Beast Farm is seeded in this soil, creating the ecosystem through which Jameson Hubbard has spent nearly a decade turning open land into food, flowers, and a space for neighbors to gather.

CoBuild founder razes his social venture; now he’s banking its mission’s success on a new blueprint

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:52:00 +0000

Closing his startup CoBuild was bittersweet for Tate Williams, but the mission that drove the company isn’t going away. Instead, he’s carrying it forward in a new role at the Central Bank of Kansas City.

Williams officially shut down CoBuild this January. The construction startup, launched in 2018, had built a reputation for opening doors for women and minorities in the trades.

ATHENA honorees: Lifting up the next generation elevates us all; give them a reason to dream

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 21:00:07 +0000

When women lead, communities rise, Dana Foote said, lifting up two ATHENA award winners whose work in Kansas City has created outcomes more meaningful than mere professional success: “the ripple effect of leadership.”

Photos: Folklore transformed this rooftop for one-night; its $100K impact on small biz lasts even longer

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:51:11 +0000

A packed rooftop event that started five years ago as a small gathering among friends has grown into a sold-out celebration that not only highlights music, food, and tradition, but also invests back into local nonprofits and entrepreneurs, said Luis Padilla, founder of Folklore and its popular small business grant program.

Fresh in the tin: Crossroads cafe targets TikTok generation for laid-back canned seafood cuisine

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:44:31 +0000

A new venue specializing in “sangria, tins and snacks” pairs viral tastes with inspiration from a classic culinary voice, said longtime Kansas City restaurateur Shawn McClenny, whose Crossroads “taverna” is expected to open by mid-November.

Lula bets on responsible growth to hit profitability; why the startup’s most valuable property is room to scale

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:59:18 +0000

Lula opened 2025 by announcing a hefty funding round; the momentum has only continued to build, founder Bo Lais shared.

On top of its $28 million Series A round in early February, the Kansas City-based proptech startup expanded to more than 50 markets nationwide and had eight straight months of record gross merchandise value and net revenue this year, he continued.

World Cup hosts launch KC Game Plan for entrepreneurs; heat map, cultural insights on global visitors warming up next

admin — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:00:59 +0000

Kansas City boasts no better roster of ambassadors than the region’s small business owners, said Tracy Whelpley, announcing a new KC2026 “Game Plan” for entrepreneurs who are eager to put cleats to streets ahead of the incoming FIFA World Cup.

“There’s so many entrepreneurial people out there and they really represent what our community is all about,” said Whelpley, director of regional impact for KC2026, the local host city organizer for World Cup activities.