Silicon Prairie News

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newsletter, Aug. 27 -Karen Borchert

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.

This installment spotlights Karen Borchert, founder and CEO at Alpaca. This article is a multimedia piece that includes videos, archived photos, links to past articles and drop-down boxes.

Check out Karen’s journey and contributions to the Nebraska startup ecosystem in the story on SPN.

Upcoming Events

  • 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 + Countdown to the JumpStart Challenge on Friday, Aug. 29, 4-6 p.m. at Salt Mine City Brewing in Lincoln.
  • Learn about serving as a nonprofit board member at the info session from POC Collaborative and BoardBuild on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 6-7 p.m. at the Ashton at Millwork Commons in Omaha.
  • RSVP for Startup Strategies for New Entrepreneurs at The Combine on Lincoln Innovation Campus (remote option available), Thursday, Sept. 4, 12-1 p.m.
  • Join AI Omaha for Generative AI at Kiewit: Laying the Foundation for Smarter Work, Thursday, Sept. 4, 5-6:45 p.m. at Kiewit La Vista.

See more events on SPN »

ICYMI: Updates from around the ecosystem

  • 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 startup
  • What the new stablecoin law means for Nebraska banks and consumers
  • New report highlights food insecurity in Nebraska amid shrinking farmland and growing production costs
  • Customer over capital: How Nebraska medtech startups beat the VC downturn
  • Meet Haji Salad, founder and CEO at Patron Senior Living, in the latest Prairie Portrait
  • Vote for the official SPSW 2025 T-shirt design

Have an announcement or event you’d like to share in an upcoming newsletter? Send it to tips@siliconprairienews.com.

Until next week!

Sincerely,

Stefanie Monge, SPN Editor

Stefanie Monge, Executive Editor

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