In 2013, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED) paired with Lincoln techies and BryanLGH hospital to help find the best tech solution to everyday problems in healthcare, with NMotion alum Synerscan—now Nobl—finding success through the event.
In 2014, JumpStart Challenge, a new program from LPED, aims to solve the same everyday challenges, but this time with four local corporations in the manufacturing, IT, finance/insurance or real estate spaces.
The challenge kicks off Feb. 22 from 1-3 p.m. when the companies will share their problems and the prize packages they will give to the winning team. The event’s location has yet to be announced.
Entrepreneurs will have 42 days to come up with a solution, build it and demo the product during a showcase event on April 5. Teams—all members must be from Nebraska—will form and work on their own time.
Thanks to our sponsor
Companies will judge and award teams with prizes like mentoring, office space and other resources.
JumpStart Challenge is designed to bring people together to network, focus on key industry issues and co-create solutions to ultimately create small businesses in Lincoln, according to a press release.
Like many communities, the right people are not always connected or in the same room discussing their challenges and potential solutions, said vice president of LPED Pat Haverty.
LPED is pairing with NMotion accelerator, Fuse Coworking, VentureTech and Nebraska Innovation Campus for the JumpStart Challenge.
Brian Ardinger, director at NMotion, said this is not the standard model, quick pitch competition.
“JumpStart Challenge will bring individuals together from all across Lincoln and Nebraska to introduce business relationships, create synergy and co-create new business for Lincoln,” he said.
JumpStart isn’t an investment competition, and none of the organizing sponsors or organizations will take an equity stake in the company as a result of this competition. However, teams are allowed to seek investment from any non-sponsor group during the competition.
Following the competition, the business and sponsor organization may choose to enter into an investment relationship of some kind.
