There’s big momentum for climate-tech innovation in the Pure Pitch Rally community: Icorium Engineering Company has landed a $1.2 million NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant to accelerate commercialization of its refrigerant reclaim technology. The funding supports Icorium’s transition from pilot validation to full commercial deployment, targeting reduced climate impact from refrigerants [...]

Kansas City’s Scout, a startup transforming veterinary medicine workflows, has closed a pre-seen funding round led by KCRise Fund, with participation from eGrowth Ventures, Service Provider Capital and a group of distinguished angel investors. The company plans to use this round to expand its team, enhance its platform and continue shaping the future of [...]

Pure Pitch Rally returns October 27, 2025, for its 10th birthday celebration at the iconic Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, marking a decade of innovation, collaboration and impact across Kansas City’s startup ecosystem. This milestone year shines a spotlight on eight remarkable founders whose ventures represent the diversity, boldness and creativity defining Kansas City’s tech future. [...]

From nights and weekends to national attention, Roz is proving that Kansas City hustle can power big-time innovation. Co-founders Sarah Hampton and Donnie Hampton built Roz from a simple pain point: compliance is broken. Now, the Olathe-based AI startup is automating the most complex and tedious parts of the compliance process to help enterprise [...]

Kansas City-based startup Raise Health Innovations is making waves in the mental health space with two major partnerships — one with UMKC and another with national teletherapy leader Talkspace. The company, co-founded by Craig Mason, is using AI to detect mental health concerns in real time by integrating into everyday communication tools like email, [...]

Big news for fintech fans in the Pure Pitch Rally community: PMI Rate Pro, a 2020 Pure Pitch Rally alum based in Overland Park, has officially been acquired by LoanPASS, a Miami-based mortgage tech company known for its dynamic loan pricing engine. Now under the LoanPASS umbrella, PMI Rate Pro is poised to scale [...]

2023 Pure Pitch Rally alumna Ashley McClellan is making big waves in healthcare staffing with her startup MedCurate, which has quickly become Kansas City’s “Uber for healthcare staffing.” Since launching a pilot in March 2024, McClellan has seen rapid growth. By the end of last year, MedCurate’s client base had grown 320%, with revenue [...]

Big win for 2022 Pure Pitch Rally alum BestyBnB: the Kansas City startup just received the 2025 NAVC Gives Marquee Award and a $25,000 grant for its mission to keep pets and their people together during times of crisis. BestyBnB’s platform helps social service agencies and shelters find temporary pet care for individuals facing [...]

Ulom App, a Kansas City-based startup led by entrepreneur Zik Nwanganga, has been selected to join the latest cohort of Digital Sandbox KC, a program that provides early-stage funding and strategic support to high-potential startups in the region. Founded with a mission to make transitions smoother for refugees, international students and new migrants, Ulom [...]