As we head into February, there's a lot to love about the tech ecosystem in Kansas City. We've got exclusive events and opportunities you need to know about, no matter if you're early-stage founder, investor or already exited. Make sure you've got what you need to thrive and lead.

💵  Learn the keys to a successful capital raise

🗣️ Explore opportunities to pitch and get capital

💰 Apply for MTC; applications are due!

Get ready to level up your capital-raising game at the 2025 Capital Raise Bootcamp, where you'll learn, network and grow your fundraising. This hands-on workshop is designed to demystify the process and equip founders like you with the knowledge and skills to raise capital effectively.

From understanding term sheets to nailing your investor pitch, our modules break it all down in practical terms. Plus, you’ll hear real-world advice from successful founders during an interactive Q&A session. Walk away with the tools — and confidence — you need to secure the funding your business deserves.

Register for the 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 event here.

Missouri Technology Corporation announced applications for the April 2025 award cycle are now open, but they're closing TODAY, Feb. 4. Through quarterly award cycles, MTC awarded nearly $9 million in 2024. MTC is seeking innovative, early-stage technology startups that are driving groundbreaking advancements. Missouri-based companies seeking investment should submit an application by Feb. 4, 2025 (that's today), to receive an investment decision by the end of April.

- Proof of Concept Program: $25,000 - $50,000 investments for pre-seed rounds to help validate concepts, develop or launch an MVP.

- TechLaunch: investments up to $100K for companies raising $500K - $1M.

- Seed Capital: investments up to $500K for companies raising $1M - $5M.

- Venture Capital: investments up to $2M for companies raising $5M - $20M.

We are actively seeking innovative startups and solutions in the science and tech space to apply for Digital Sandbox KC and benefit from our support and resources. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to receive up to $20,000 in project funding to advance your cutting-edge solution.

If you are working on breakthrough science or technologies, we want to hear from you! This is your chance to showcase your work, connect with industry experts and accelerate your growth. Apply to Digital Sandbox KC today.

A key part of the annual Regnier Venture Creation Challenge, this competition is open to non-student led companies with headquarters in the Kansas City MARC Region (Ray, Clay, Jackson, Cass and Platte counties in Missouri; Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson and Miami counties in Kansas) and be considered new or early stage with annual revenues between $0-250,000. Applications are accepted from Feb. 3, 2025, through March 9, 2025. All competition info can be found at www.bit.ly/RVCC2025.

- It's time to submit your application for consideration to pitch at InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum 2025. Make sure you apply by Feb. 28. If you're selected to pitch, you'll be notified in March.

- Digital Health Day (11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Aug. 21) is your opportunity to connect with founders, investors, change-makers and the entire digital health ecosystem. Register by Feb. 28 to get the 40% off early-bird rate. 

- Applications for the 2025 cohort of the Kansas City Social Venture Studio are open until March 21. This is your chance to be part of a journey that not only grows your business but also amplifies your community impact.

– Are you interested in learning more about Digital Sandbox KC? You can book a meeting with the Sandbox team to learn more about the program.

– Want to receive personalized searches of new technologies and innovations available for licensing? Get in touch with Whiteboard 2 Boardroom to sign up.

– If you want to learn about early-stage deals or are seeking early-stage capital, learn more about CapitalMatch here.

– Do you know someone who wants to support local tech startups as a mentor, advisor or funder? We can help get them plugged in. Have them send us a note today.

Selfii, the leader in privacy-preserving health data solutions for individuals and health care organizations, announced the launch of TripleBlind Exchange, a first-of-its-kind data marketplace enabling secure, HIPAA/GDPR-compliant access to protected health information without the need for traditional de-identification methods.

What lies ahead for 2025, and beyond? Among the trends to watch is enhanced technology to maintain produce packaging freshness. The companies that grasp these trends will succeed the most in this ever-changing produce world. The author asked five produce industry individuals, including KC's Empower Fresh, their thoughts, outlooks and challenges that they feel lies ahead in 2025.

Trially, the latest breakthrough in AI-driven clinical trial recruitment technology, announced an agreement with athenahealth Inc. through the company’s award-winning athenahealth® Marketplace program.

Two UMKC introductions ultimately led to a research partnership and a study that involves more than 1,000 students. The study will compare traditional mental health survey tools to Raise Health’s technology and their effectiveness at detecting mental health needs.