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Newsletter, October 21 – SPN Innovation Champion
Hello all. It’s Ben again. For those of you who often give business pitches or speak at award ceremonies and competitions, I don’t envy you. Last week, I had the terrifying opportunity to stand in front of a room of top researchers, medical professionals and career entrepreneurs and give an award acceptance speech. It was…
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An anti-terrorism chatbot and protective wear for healthcare: The 2026 Innovation Awards winners
UNeMed held its annual award ceremony Wednesday, celebrating inventors, researchers and supporters of the local University of Nebraska and startup community in Omaha. The tech transfer and commercialization office also released its annual report earlier this week.
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Five Things: Hustle Conference 2026
The annual entrepreneurship conference took place on Sept. 30 at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business. The event brought local founders and celebrated innovators behind names such as Shazam, GitHub and Liquid Death together to share insights for building a company and brand.
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New book released by Open Range celebrates 40 Nebraska startups and the wider state ecosystem
Open Range is an Omaha-based nonprofit with the mission of supporting the entrepreneurial hubs of Greater Omaha and Lincoln. Titled “Open Book,” the publication includes an index of company profiles and community stakeholders. SPN contributed original reporting and content adapted within the book.
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Newsletter, September 30 – Ben Williamson at Ag Tech & Beyond
Hello all, it’s Ben again. I knew a lot of Bens while growing up in Omaha. There were actually so many of us at my high school that we formed the League of Bens, where we often exchanged stories about getting mixed up by classmates or peers giving us the obligatory “Big Ben” nickname. It…
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Proven Ventures seeks to invest the remaining capital of its $10 million fund in Nebraska startups
The Omaha-based Burlington Capital Fund recently made the announcement that is has $1 million available in its Fund One. Co-founder and General Partner Erica Wassinger detailed the debt-equity model and the types of founders and startups the fund invests in.
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Open Range shares latest Techstars cohort and a new partnership with First National Bank of Omaha
The Omaha-based nonprofit supports the startup hubs of Greater Omaha and Lincoln. It has recently announced the cohort members representing Nebraska for the Techstars Founder Catalyst Global Fall 2026 Program. This comes as Open Range partners with FNBO to create future opportunities for startups.
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Skate pads to career launch pads: The Bay partners with MCC to build job pipelines for young adults
The Bay, a Nebraska-based nonprofit, is piloting programming with Metropolitan Community College. The goal is to enable early professionals to explore career pathways and gain credentials without the pressures of attending college. This comes as The Bay continues the construction of its new facility and skate park in Benson.
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Newsletter, September 16 – MCC x The Bay
Hey everyone, it’s Ben again. I’ve recently turned 26-years-old, and I still find myself figuring things out as I go. This probably would have freaked 18-year-old me out, who went into college with an undecided major and a cooking background that didn’t go beyond pouring cereal and microwaving hot dogs. It can be overwhelming for…
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New faces and new questions: Call for Prairie Portraits profiles
The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. SPN updated the questions with the goal of encouraging more unique responses and insights. Learn how to participate.
Ben Goeser
