Silicon Prairie Startup Week is only a few days away with events, including the second annual SPSW Startup Showcase and Pitch Competition, happening Oct. 6-11. Judges will select five finalists from the group of 20 startups to pitch live for a $10,000 grand prize immediately following the showcase on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The post Meet the 20 semifinalists for the 2025 Silicon Prairie Startup Week Pitch Competition appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
The event, hosted by Don’t Panic Labs on Sept. 27, was part of Silicon Prairie Startup Week. Participants who go on to pitch for the JumpStart Challenge on Oct. 6 will compete for two $2,500 prizes as part of industry challenges and a $1,000 wild card category prize. The post Three teams win at combined Ten Hour Challenge x JumpStart Challenge appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
A new assessment launching at HUSTLE is designed to give leaders insight into how they guide teams and drive outcomes. Developed at Creighton University with researcher Sangeeta Badal, the Entrepreneurial Leadership Profile will also shape the school’s entrepreneurship minor.| Silicon Prairie News
A new $2.5 million co-working and business incubator space hopes to create more job opportunities in this rural community. Combined with two colleges and a rush of new housing, that’s an opportunity to keep students local and, perhaps, reverse a decades-long population trend.| Silicon Prairie News
The SPN Ecosystem Project is a multimedia series tracing key players, startups and events that have shaped Nebraska’s entrepreneurial landscape since the early 2000s. This installment spotlights Karen Borchert, founder and CEO at Alpaca.| Silicon Prairie News
NMotion powered by gener8tor is a startup accelerator in Nebraska that invests in two cohorts of high-growth startups each year. SPN recently caught up with past participants in NMotion programming to see how they’ve progressed since the accelerator. Founders can apply for NMotion’s latest accelerator by Aug. 17.| Silicon Prairie News
The RISE Business Academy has graduated its 13th cohort, adding eight new businesses led by entrepreneurs impacted by the justice system to Nebraska’s small business landscape. Through mentorship, practical training and community support, the 12-week program helps participants turn personal challenges into thriving ventures.| Silicon Prairie News
Brittany Mascio began her journey in Nebraska’s startup ecosystem at Silicon Prairie News, where she helped shape Big Omaha. Now, she's bringing that same spirit of connection and community to the Omaha Comedy Fest. Read the first story in the SPN Ecosystem Project to learn more about the early days of building community in startups.| Silicon Prairie News
A first generation Nebraska sheep producer devised a method to turn low-quality sheep wool into high-quality natural fertilizer. Inspired by research happening at the University of Vermont, Kestrel Ridge Pellet Co. is the only business of its kind in Nebraska.| Silicon Prairie News
