Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Young business owners sell crafts during a Children’s Business Fair event organized by the Society of Child Entrepreneurs; courtesy photo

As Kansas City builds a reputation as a haven for women's sports, players for the new KC Diamonds softball team are excited to call it home.

Kalin Baca, founder of Icorium Engineering Company, center, takes the stage after accepting the 2025 Innovator of the Year Award from Parker Graham, Finotta founder and Innovator of the Year for 2021, and Taylor Stormberg, Pando PEO, the winner for 2024; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Getting the call to deploy EB Systems’ crowd-tracking technology at some of the world’s most massive events is becoming “business as usual” for the Kansas City startup, but a weeks-long opportunity tied to the FIFA World Cup takes the stakes to an unprecedented level, said Jonathan Ruiz.

A newly mixed River Market business opens the doors to a bubbly (and delightfully slimy) space where children of all abilities can play, explore, and make a joyful mess together, said Antoinette Redmond, offering families a gathering space during the FIFA World Cup in Kansas City.

Behind the scenes at a tiki-themed coffee shop in the Crossroads, one couple is stitching together a small business strategy that combines high-profile specialty apparel projects with professional sports organizations and live sew-on-the-go activations in the community.

Missouri is finally seeing renewed and sustained political momentum around entrepreneurship, Jason Wiens told town hall attendees gathered for an update on the Show-Me State’s recent wins around entrepreneur support.

As AI moves beyond screens and into streets, buildings, and logistics networks, Surge meets real-world demands by providing data delivered continuously and in real time to build an infrastructure layer that smart cities and autonomous systems actually need to function, its founders said.

A community engagement meeting Monday descended into shouting as the Kansas City Royals seek city approval on their rezoning plans. The stadium would require some changes to nearby bike lanes and roads.

When Kansas City firefighters finally get a few moments to put down the hoses and shed their gear, said Andrew Dowis, they deserve the sports equipment needed to decompress and blow off some steam.