Tag: kansas city

First ACCEL-KS cohort funded at KU Innovation Park deepens Jayhawk, Sunflower State investments

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:16:10 +0000

A “3x Jayhawk” — and award-winning Kansas City healthtech founder — was among the first 16 recipients of proof-of-concept funding from ACCEL-KS at KU Innovation Park, officials announced Thursday, revealing a new Kansas-focused resource built to reduce the gap between a strong idea and a viable company.

Vine Street chicken and beer: Brewery adds new flavor to its neighborhood hub (and future World Cup living room)

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:30:06 +0000

Vine Street Brewing is cooking. The Black-owned brewery at 2000 Vine is welcoming a new restaurant partner into its space, reuniting beer and bites under one roof.

Finally free, but not alone: Reentry app built alongside wrongfully convicted exonerees set for release

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:01:29 +0000

DETROIT — A mobile-first reentry platform targeted exclusively for wrongfully convicted individuals can’t bring back stolen time after their exoneration and release, said Dylan Carnahan, but the Kansas City-built technology — co-designed with exonerees themselves — offers renewed independence in the palm of users’ hands.

Myndset shift: Why this founder says results under pressure come from repetition, not inspiration

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:48:13 +0000

Now live and gaining traction, Myndset is showing early demand for what founder Craig Mason calls a pressure response operating system — built to help high performers stay steady and execute in real, high-stakes moments.

Since launching Dec. 22, the Kansas City startup has attracted nearly 400 active users and 10,000 interactions, Mason told Startland News.

CodeAlgo Academy hits classrooms as the edtech platform (and founder) proves independence

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:40:36 +0000

After years of putting the building blocks together, Triumfia Houmbie Fulks’ edtech startup has officially entered the game, the founder said, noting she launched the coding platform into area schools this fall.

Bracket-style startup pitch competition courts innovators, angels for March gameplay

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:28:40 +0000

WICHITA, Kan. — Applications are open for a statewide startup pitch competition set to return in March alongside the Big 12 men’s basketball tourney. The high-profile event connects emerging founders with angel investors and corporate innovators — and a $25,000 top prize.

KC’s FairWave Collective acquires legacy North Carolina coffee brand, deepening ties to Triangle region

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:25:29 +0000

A Kansas City-based, private equity-backed network of specialty coffee companies — notably including Messenger and The Roasterie coffees — added another brand to its ranks: a 31-year-old, brick-and-mortar mainstay in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina.

Photos: Newsmakers scoop awards at Startups to Watch celebration, teasing action ahead

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:36:18 +0000

The preview is complete; next comes the headline-grabbing startup activity, said Tommy Felts, voicing anticipation for the year ahead — months that promise Kansas City companies making good on their efforts to scale innovation throughout the region.

How two, decades-apart military pairings landed a 130-year-old Greek liqueur brand in KC stores

admin — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 14:51:03 +0000

Just one sip of this cinnamon clove-infused Greek liqueur and Glen Shilland was won over. But he wasn’t just enjoying Zamoura; he was immediately envisioning an import business so others in the U.S. could enjoy it too.

Produced in Patras, Greece, since 1895, Zamoura is made with a secret family recipe and all-natural ingredients.

“It just tastes delicious,” said Glen, a U.S. Air Force veteran-turned-KC-based importer. “Smooth, like nothing I had ever tasted before. Or since.”

Here’s how three UMKC student teams are prepping for the RooLink Digital Healthcare Sprint

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:44:54 +0000

Editor’s note: This story was first published by Tech Venture Studio at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Click here to read the original story.

From Colombia to Columbia: Family starts from scratch with mid-Missouri bakery

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:11:07 +0000

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon.

Bin believer: Teen thrifting founder finds value, sorted by aesthetic (not sizes)

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:31:42 +0000

Rags Restyled 4u is selling more than just thrifted clothes, its 19-year-old founder shared; it’s using apparel stitched with self expression to give clothes a second life.

“The end goal is really just to have a brand that makes a difference and makes people feel safe and comfortable and like they can fully be themselves,” Maci Shaw explained.

Stockyards Brewing ferments opening day for its new suburban Overland Park taproom

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:35:55 +0000

Johnson County craft beer fans have been eagerly awaiting this day for four long years — a delay caused, in part, by one founder’s refusal to compromise on his vision for his latest brewhouse.

But now Stockyards Brewing Co.’s Overland Park taproom has set a Jan. 30 opening at 10310 Mastin St. — the site of a former Piggly Wiggly and, more recently, a National American University campus. (Brewing equipment is in place, with the production portion of the facility expected to come online later this year.)

Translating Sisterbot: KC’s cello-playing sci-fi heroine has arrived (at the speed of sound)

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:50:47 +0000

Sisterbot takes the cello out of the orchestra pit and puts it on the stage to rock out. Created by Kansas City musician and composer Adee Dancy, the project offers an ever-changing blend of classical strings, rock, theater and experimental sound.

The only constants: Sisterbot is built upon cello and voice, reflecting Dancy’s conservatory training and her interest in crossing genres.

These 5 Kansas City area restaurants and bars are 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists

admin — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:28:05 +0000

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.

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