As we get closer to the Silicon Prairie Awards, we still need you to help us determine which individuals and companies will take home these shiny golden analogs. We’ve compiled a few highlights from the massive number of nominations we received, so you can get to know the finalists a little bit better.
Remember, you can vote every day for your favorites and you still have 4 weeks to spread the word! Voting ends August 31st.
2015 Student Entrepreneur of the Year finalists
Bugeater Foods
The Bugeater Foods team includes Kelly Sturek, Julianne Kopf and Alec Wiese. The three started as undergraduates at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with backgrounds in Business, Technology, Design and Food Science. In under a year, they combined their diverse skills and developed Bugeater Foods.
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While in school, they developed a product, generated revenue and got accepted into the NMotion startup accelerator, where they officially launched their first product, “Jump.” As the team continues to develop their product, their commitment to learning about all areas of their business is evident. Vote now
Brent Comstock
2014 Student Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, Brent Comstock is a 20-year-old innovative leader who is changing rural communities in results-driven ways. He builds strong partnerships, is a great communicator and is making a difference across the Silicon Prairie.
The branding agency he started in high school, BCom Solutions, in Auburn, Nebraska, is a thriving digital marketing and technology solutions company that reaches millions of people every year. Comstock also recently launched the Rural Innovation Catalyst Program which builds rural startup ecosystems across the Silicon Prairie through the establishment of mentoring networks and startup accelerators. Vote now
Josh Doering
Marketing and Sales Director at Slide Seed in Sioux City, Josh Doering is a hardworking student who is dedicated to combining new technology with old methods to increase efficiency and safety for farming.
Doering is also the Vice President of the Entrepreneurship Group at Morningside College and recently received the Marketing Student Of the Year award from Morningside College as well.
Doering is very active in the Iowa startup community. He dedicates a lot of his time to connecting other students to influential community leaders at Speed Networking, an event also through Morningside College. Vote now
Spectator
Jon Myers and Brandon Kiefer originally came up with the idea for Spectator as undergrads at the University of Iowa. What began as an app for high school sports with over 600 users in 2 markets, pivoted to an online tool for booster clubs to recruit, maintain and sign up new members.
While running their business and attending school full time, Myers and Kiefer were 1 of 7 startups accepted into the NMotion accelerator. Though the accelerator the foundation was laid for Spectator, which is now in a beta test with 9 high schools around the country. Vote now
Andrew Rogers
Andrew Rogers moved from the Silicon Valley to the Silicon Prairie to attend Creighton University in 2012. When he moved to Omaha, he brought with him a passion for starting new businesses and empowering young entrepreneurs to take risks and challenge the status quo.
Rogers started developing JayClean about a year ago. The business is an innovative dry cleaning solution for students, faculty and staff that provides a vehicle through which students can put what they learn in the classroom to work.
Rogers is also active in the community. He is a key player in many startup events throughout Omaha including Startup Weekend, 1 Million Cups, Straight Shot and 3 Day Startup. Vote now
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Join us at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln on October 1st to celebrate our region and to recognize the individuals and companies who are doing big things in the Silicon Prairie!
Melanie Lucks is an intern for Silicon Prairie News and AIM Careerlink.
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