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How university venture capital programs are training the next generation of funders and founders in Nebraska
Student-led groups like the Husker Venture Fund and the Maverick Venture Fund are key players in Nebraska’s small VC scene, having deployed close to $1 million total in pre-seed funding. But this talent pipeline will contribute to Nebraska only if it gets lasting community support.
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Five takeaways from the first Nebraska Data & AI summit
A panel discussed how to build the AI workforce in Nebraska, with recommendations ranging from improved upskilling and more industry-academia partnerships to understanding that every worker needs to have a basic knowledge of AI to be successful.
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SPN Exclusive: NU President Dr. Jeffrey Gold responds to uncertainty after more than $50 million in federal research cuts
In an exclusive conversation with Silicon Prairie News, Gold explains where federal research funding stands after the initial upheaval of the Trump administration’s proposed cuts. For NU, support from the business world is more important than ever — but replacing federal money is far from easy.
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With a new entrepreneurship space and housing boom, Hastings aims for breakthrough growth
A new $2.5 million co-working and business incubator space hopes to create more job opportunities in this rural community. Combined with two colleges and a rush of new housing, that’s an opportunity to keep students local and, perhaps, reverse a decades-long population trend.
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How have sentiments evolved five years after Omaha business leaders committed to racial justice through CODE
Amid a national environment becoming increasingly hostile to diversity work, the Greater Omaha Chamber’s Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity and Equity (CODE) initiative was rebranded, and its public accountability efforts are no longer on the website. Did it make a difference, and what do business diversity efforts look like moving forward?
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UNO alumni add billions of dollars, thousands of jobs to Omaha’s economy, new study says
In a time when many are questioning the value of a college education, the earning power of a college degree — and its value to local economies — seems to hold up. UNO bachelor’s degree holders alone added $1.8 billion to the local economy in 2024.
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Early bird tickets now available for the 2025 HUSTLE Conference
The second annual HUSTLE Conference has a revamped format over two days in October at Creighton University. Early bird tickets are available until Aug. 22.
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The Kauffman Foundation helped support Nebraska’s entrepreneurs – its regional pullback now leaves a gap for local work
Kauffman’s refocus on Kansas City is an opportunity for Nebraska funders to step up and take lessons from its impact. That’s even more important as federal funding for entrepreneurship declines.
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How an MIT program planted the roots for Open Range and continues to shape Omaha’s startup ecosystem
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP) coaches regions around the world to improve their startup ecosystems. The two-year program was the “nexus” that sparked Open Range.
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Nebraska women in STEM celebrate wins, see the state stumbling amid anti-diversity squeeze
Nebraska has more women in STEM but is paying them less than many surrounding states. That’s just one data point shared at an event marking three years since a landmark report about struggle and perseverance among local women in STEM.
A week-long celebration of the startup and entrepreneurial community in Nebraska with events in Omaha, Lincoln, Ashland and Council Bluffs Learn more »