AgTech startups are the leading segment receiving early stage funding awards in the second half of 2023. Here’s a list of funding announcements from Nebraska startups over the last few months.
November
Birds Eye Robotics
Funding Details: $650,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
The SBIR program at the USDA offers competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses to support high quality research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits.
Company Overview: Birds Eye Robotics builds cutting-edge robotic solutions for precision poultry management with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and welfare. The company’s flagship offering is the Caretaker Robot — a fully autonomous in-barn solution that reduces labor costs and enhances bird welfare and performance.
Location: Waterloo, Neb.
Workshop
Funding Details: $12M Series A led by McCarthy Capital through their Emerging Growth strategy with participation from Midwest venture funds, including Ludlow Ventures and M25
This most recent investment follows a $5M seed round in July 2022.
Company Overview: Workshop is a platform used to create, send and measure employee emails and branded internal communications across global, distributed teams. Notable Workshop customers include Fortune 500 companies and global brands like Papa John’s, Steve Madden, Edelman Financial, Northern Tool, Movement Mortgage, and more.
Location: Omaha, Neb.
October
Dwellr
Funding Details: $500,000 pre-seed round led by Move Venture Capital and Invest Nebraska
Company Overview: Dwellr is an online marketplace that directly connects families with the best senior communities tailored to the needs of their loved ones. Dwellr is preparing to publicly launch its platform targeting cities in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Colorado.
Location: Lincoln, Neb.
September
Sentinel Fertigation
Funding Details: $2.5M seed round co-led by Homegrown Capital, Grit Road Partners and Invest Nebraska, with additional funding from Proven Ventures, Nebraska Angels, AgVentures Alliance, Black Hills Regional Angel Fund, Breakthrough 307, AgLaunch Farmers Innovation Fund I and Agri-Inject
This most recent investment follows a $1.2M pre-seed round in May 2022.
Company Overview: Sentinel Fertigation is the maker of the N-Time® nitrogen management software solution that helps farmers optimize crop productivity, farm profitability and environmental stewardship by balancing fertilizer inputs with natural processes. Sentinel’s N-Time software analyzes crop canopy imagery to provide agronomic recommendations that help farmers make efficient nitrogen management decisions.
Location: Lincoln, Neb.
August
Idem Irrigation
Funding Details: $500,000 seed round including Invest Nebraska, Nebraska Angels, Robert Kelley, Steve Renard and Al Davis
Company Overview: Idem Irrigation is the maker of a patent-pending pivot sprinkler head technology that helps crop producers optimize water usage and enhance agricultural yields by adapting their existing pivot or linear irrigation systems.
Location: Gering, Neb.
Have a funding announcement about a Nebraska-based startup to share with the SPN community? Email tips@siliconprairienews.com with your press release or announcement.
