The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
The Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the final round of a two-day, bracket-style competition earlier this week. Narrowed down from 64 teams of UNL students, four finalists pitched their business plans on stage to a panel of judges in pursuit of the $15,000 grand prize.| Silicon Prairie News
The 10-week pre-accelerator provides early-stage founders access to courses, workshops and mentoring from industry experts in the global Techstars network. This opportunity for Nebraska founders is available due to Greater Omaha’s inclusion in Techstars Startup Community Partnerships.| Silicon Prairie News
NMotion powered by gener8tor announced its latest investment in six startups, including four from Nebraska. The accelerator initiated the program by introducing the cohort to startups around Omaha and Lincoln to network and exchange experiences from their startup journey.| Silicon Prairie News
As artificial intelligence moves from buzzword to boardroom priority, the Heartland Developers Conference put the spotlight on how companies can prepare for adoption and measure its impact. Hosted Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 by AIM Institute, the annual event drew developers, IT leaders and industry experts to share knowledge, demonstrate techniques and connect with peers. […] The post AI readiness and business outcomes take center stage at Heartland Developers Conference appeared first on Silicon ...| Silicon Prairie News
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
Metropolitan Community College soft-launched its Business Development Center this fall with workshops, curriculum and consulting support for local business owners. Since its start, the center has grown its adviser team and has earned grant funding for additional opportunities. The post MCC Business Development Center offering office hours and other resources for entrepreneurs appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
The Commonwealth Omaha is a nonprofit aimed at providing accessible and inclusive support to local entrepreneurs. It held its official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 12. Upcoming opportunities include a six-week incubator and cohort for early-stage business owners called the IDEA Lab. The post Incubator and programming for entrepreneurs available through new resource hub and co-working space appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
Silicon Prairie Startup Week events officially kicked off over the weekend with the 10 Hour Challenge x JumpStart Challenge at Don’t Panic Labs in Lincoln. Around 60 people showed up for a 10-hour sprint to build their ideas. In the end, 10 teams pitched. Some teams will continue iterating on their concepts to pitch again […] The post newsletter, Oct. 1 – SPSW Kick Off appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
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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
Tech Nebraska started in 2023 as the state’s first tech industry trade association. The complete agenda of speakers and sessions for its Tech Nebraska Summit on Oct. 30 is now available. Registration for the event targeting leaders, builders and the future workforce runs until Oct. 25. The post 2025 Tech Nebraska Summit to connect the community and explore ways to support innovation in Nebraska appeared first on Silicon Prairie News.| Silicon Prairie News
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
Omaha could be an ‘it’ city for AI. But building more huge data centers isn’t the only pathway.| Silicon Prairie News
Camp Alpaca is a two-week paid summer internship in Omaha where educators gather to create practical, culture-focused tools for schools. Developed by education startup Alpaca, the program centers teacher voices, creative confidence and collaborative resource design.| Silicon Prairie News
Rick Knudtson’s journey from learning WordPress development at BrightMix to cofounding Flywheel and Workshop demonstrates how a dedicated local founder can ignite transformation in an entire tech ecosystem. Through strong partnerships and a commitment to community, he has elevated Omaha as a hub where startups can thrive.| Silicon Prairie News
The Omaha-based EdTech startup closed a seed round to advance its employee engagement tools for educators. The company evolved from sending care packages to teachers to now providing software solutions, including a pulse survey product, to encourage career retention.| Silicon Prairie News
The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) is an international conference dedicated to connecting educators with the latest EdTech solutions. Omaha startup Alpaca won three awards at the conference, including the Top EdTech Product Award.| Silicon Prairie News
Alpaca Founder and CEO Karen Borchert shared insight into her journey from nonprofit leader to tech executive to startup founder at Millwork Conversations.| Silicon Prairie News
This guest post written by Karen Borchert, COO of Flywheel, originally appeared in Medium. This March, I was planning to give a speech at SaaStr US, about| Silicon Prairie News
Raise your hand if “sales” is your least favorite part of having a startup. Do sales meetings stress you out? Do you hate putting together proposals? Are| Silicon Prairie News
The Nebraska Entrepreneurship Accelerator at UNL is giving students the chance to grow their businesses while still in college. From scholarships and mentorship to peer groups and practicum credit, the program is shaping the next generation of founders in Nebraska.| siliconprairienews.com
UNL launches AI makerspace in partnership with Scott Data Meet Workforce Symphony CEO Todd Smith in the latest Prairie Portrait Economic development| Silicon Prairie News
Learn All About I-Corps – Unlocking Innovation with the Great Lakes I-Corps Hub, online 12-1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 18. Register for Unlock Your Team’s| Silicon Prairie News
The Nebraska Entrepreneurship Accelerator at UNL is giving students the chance to grow their businesses while still in college. From scholarships and mentorship to peer groups and practicum credit, the program is shaping the next generation of founders in Nebraska.| Silicon Prairie News
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has launched a new AI makerspace in partnership with Omaha-based Scott Data, giving students access to cutting-edge computing power. The facility is the first of its kind in Nebraska and among only a handful tied to higher education nationally.| Silicon Prairie News
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
Economic development is now stretched thin across issues ranging from child care and housing to workforce development, alongside such traditional concerns as attracting and retaining businesses. Bright spots and challenges are visible as the region aims for renewed growth.| 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
Hosted by the AIM Institute, the technical conference targeting developers will provide attendees with presentations and breakout sessions from industry experts to apply new skillsets and stay competitive with the latest tech innovations. The event runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.| Silicon Prairie News
Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, are willing to make higher-risk investments at earlier stages than conventional banks. As a result, they’re a good option to support early-stage startups and businesses. CDFIs can also play a role in venture capital for startups, unlocking yet more support for the entrepreneurial ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
Five takeaways from the first Nebraska Data & AI summit| Silicon Prairie News
The annual conference hosted by the Midlands African Chamber brought together five local startups in a pitch competition for a grand prize of up to $15,000. The event also highlighted the struggles faced by minority business owners and the community resources available.| Silicon Prairie News
The Omaha Data Science Academy receives accreditation in Nebraska| Silicon Prairie News
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
ODSA leaders said the recognition by the Nebraska Commissioner of Education opens up additional opportunities for both the Omaha-based trade school and its graduates. Leadership shared their plans moving forward, including expanding its accreditation outside of Nebraska.| Silicon Prairie News
In an exclusive conversation with Silicon Prairie News, Gold explains where federal research funding stands after the initial upheaval of the Trump administration’s proposed cuts. For NU, support from the business world is more important than ever — but replacing federal money is far from easy.| 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. The series blends SPN’s archival content with new reporting to explore how the ecosystem has evolved and the individuals who helped build it.| siliconprairienews.com
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
Attend the next UNeMed Idea Pub: Morning Edition, Thursday, Aug. 28, 9-11 a.m. at Catalyst in Omaha. You’re invited to Founders & Friends Happy Hour +| Silicon Prairie News
Only a few days left to apply for the SPSW Pitch Competition sponsored by Open Range for your chance to win $10k in non-dilutive capital for your Nebraska| Silicon Prairie News
Midwest founders of high-growth companies can now apply for the 2026 Pipeline Fellowship and Pathfinder cohorts. Accepted participants will gain access to educational modules and expert networks to help scale their businesses. The application window closes Nov. 21.| Silicon Prairie News
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| 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
Silicon Prairie News and Technical.ly launched a partnership to share stories about innovation and entrepreneurship between the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. This week SPN Editor Stefanie Monge is headed to Philly Tech Week to discuss the role of ecosystem storytellers located outside of Silicon Valley and the coasts.| Silicon Prairie News
Help shape Silicon Prairie Startup Week for 2025 Meet Glen Lambert, Metaverse Developer and co-organizer of 1 Million Cups Omaha, in this week’s Prairie| Silicon Prairie News
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| Silicon Prairie News
Nebraska ranks near the bottom in startup survival, and Omaha’s innovation ecosystem remains fragmented, according to a recent report. The Silicon Prairie Rising report lays out a roadmap for change, calling for a central organization to coordinate efforts and foster a thriving entrepreneurial environment.| Silicon Prairie News
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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
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.| 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
University of Nebraska at Omaha students can now enroll in the university’s new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence degree program. The program starts in the Spring 2025 semester. University and city leaders say the coursework will enhance the future career opportunities for students and benefit Omaha as a whole.| Silicon Prairie News
Get to know MOVE VC managing partner and Nebraska Startup Academy co-founder Charlie Cuddy in Prairie Portraits.| Silicon Prairie News
Your company or organization can sponsor our website, specific editorial products, our weekly newsletter, or any of our signature events. As a program of the Nebraska Journalism Trust, most sponsorship support is tax deductible.| Silicon Prairie News