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 [...]
Noonan, the patent-pending digital caddie platform developed by the team behind Albatross Golf, is aiming well under par after hitting the stage at the 2023 Pure Pitch Rally. Originally created to help retain golfers at the team’s indoor golf franchise, GolfTRK, the platform quickly outgrew its original purpose. Founders Matt Williams, Alex Reed, Sam [...]
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 [...]
UMKC hosted its Regnier Venture Creation Challenge recently, a pitch competition that allowed college students and full-time entrepreneurs to present their startups and compete for cash prizes. Dr. Shelley Cooper, a serial entrepreneur and Pure Pitch Rally alumna, won first place in the non-student James [...]
Marma, a women-led health tech startup in Kansas City, was one of 10 companies selected by Springboard Enterprises to join its Inaugural 2024 Women’s Health Innovation Program Cohort. Ultimately, this program aims to normalize women’s health as a mainstream industry. With a focus on providing personalized nutritional guidance to address the critical [...]
Digital Sandbox KC announced nine new local startups will join their program to kick off 2024. As members of the cohort, these entrepreneurs will receive foundational support, mentorship and up to $20,000 in project funding. Selected companies range in industry from aerospace 3D printing to healthcare streamlined solutions. Of the nine startups, two [...]