Nebraska Innovation Studio, the community-oriented makerspace affiliated with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), recently announced the newest Nebraska Innovation Fellows. The fellowship gives innovators and builders the tools, resources and mentors to transform their ideas into working prototypes. This is the second year.
Organizers said they narrowed the roster from over 50 applicants.
The fellows each get a free five-month membership to the Innovation Studio and its specialized equipment, software and staff. Each fellow receives a $2,500 material stipend and $1,500 in professional services credit from the recently opened Frontier Tech Lab — an expert-led, student-supported hub for accessible prototyping.
Frontier Tech Lab Design Coordinator Isaac Regier said the selected fellows had already laid the groundwork with their respective projects, which showcased their commitment and ability to benefit from the program’s offerings.
“We want to make sure that the projects are achievable, they have a good impact and that the people behind them — we’re really betting on the people — we think that they can achieve it,” Regier said.
The 2026 fellows:
- Bill Berzonsky: The founder of AgSolaire and adjunct assistant professor in the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Berzonsky is building a “smart” seed thresher to gather crop data, including moisture and protein content.
- Jon Turkus: A molecular biology technician and research manager for the Schnable Lab at UNL. Turkus is building a rapid sampling tool for analyzing plant genetics from seedlings.
- James Willcockson: A University of Nebraska Medical Center assistant professor and hand and wrist surgeon. Willcockson is building a small Doppler device to be more reliable in testing blood flow in tiny blood vessels.
- Chris Wong: A U.S. Air Force veteran and founder of Inscribe Technologies. Wong is building a modular drone chassis and exploring other solutions in the space of cybersecurity and secure communications.
Acknowledging that this current group is working on “high-level, technical projects,” Regier said organizers are open to projects that represent all levels of technical specificity and community impact. By the end of the program, he said leadership hopes fellows expand their professional network and make enough progress to attract additional opportunities for their ventures — such as through the state’s prototype grant.
The first cohort launched as a result of the Heartland Robotics Cluster (HRC): a statewide initiative for growing robotics talent. HRC grew out of a Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Nebraska Innovation Studio was designated $4M of the $25M HRC for equipment, staff and programming.
In preparation for the end of the fund dispersal period of the HRC, Regier said the Innovation Fellows has shifted its funding to private donations. He added that the Nebraska Innovation Studio would continue to pursue other grant opportunities, as well as use revenue generated from the Frontier Tech Lab.
In light of the December departure of John Strope — a familiar face in the makerspace and robotics scene — from Nebraska Innovation Studio, Regier said he’s filling in for Strope’s previous responsibilities with the fellowship. He continued that the larger staff is also in the midst of adjustment as they adapt to the new funding arrangements.
You can read more about the Innovation Fellowship and its new cohort here.
