Omaha-based Guardify is a startup that offers digital evidence management solutions for the justice sector and works closely with Children’s Advocacy Centers. Guardify has experienced strong momentum in the last two years with the appointment of CEO Ben Jackson (a former Flywheel exec), a new name and brand, plus significant product advancements. Last year the…

Pipeline Entrepreneurs announced its latest cohorts of Fellows and Pathfinders. Nebraska founders have a strong presence representing eight of the 28 companies selected. Pipeline is a regional support organization based in Kansas City that helps high-growth founders build their businesses and network. Pipeline Fellowship is a program designed for high-growth founders who are working on…

Before we called ourselves the “Silicon Prairie” and before you could major in entrepreneurship in college, three enthusiastic 20-somethings started working on an idea for a construction tech company in a garage in Omaha. The idea would become Buildertrend. Fast forward 20 years and Buildertrend is a standout among the earliest cohort of startup founders…

At the NE Chamber annual meeting last week, CEO Todd Bingham celebrated the organization’s past year. The chamber has supported research on issues from energy to child care, increased its workforce development efforts and continued to advocate for businesses across Nebraska. However, Bingham acknowledged that Nebraska is slipping in its economic development efforts. While the…

Since SPN joined the Nebraska Journalism Trust umbrella three years ago, our mission has been to invite more curious Nebraskans to explore the local startup community. Events are a great point of entry to engage with that community and learn about the local resources available for aspiring entrepreneurs. Yes, we highlight a few upcoming events…

It’s been a little over two years since Kellee Mikuls closed Swishboom, the tech startup she founded in Omaha to connect users with high quality on-demand child care. Now, Mikuls is the executive director of workforce development nonprofit Ignite Nebraska. Mikuls’ experience and connections in the startup community have shaped the way she approaches building…

A Nebraska startup is using drones to fight an invasive tree species encroaching on the Great Plains. Stone Pillar International is a software and intelligence company that uses drone-acquired data for actionable decision making. The company’s official launch comes as Nebraskans face the threat of invasive eastern redcedar opportunities presented by new drone rules and…

Happy New Year! 2025 was a year marked by milestones in the Nebraska startup ecosystem. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to what’s in store for the coming year. Will the momentum continue? Silicon Prairie News reached out to stakeholders in the Nebraska startup ecosystem to get their predictions, hot takes and hopes for…

The Business Innovation Act is back in business following a two-month pause. Gov. Jim Pillen announced in a memorandum yesterday that the Nebraska Department of Economic Development would immediately resume awarding funds.  The sudden pause of BIA awards funding in October rallied the Nebraska startup community in support of the program that has been an…

New business creation has been on the rise in Sidney after losing the town’s largest employer nearly 10 years ago. Cabela’s started in Sidney in 1961 and the company’s headquarters was based there until the outdoor retailer was purchased by Bass Pro Shops in 2017. Since the shuttering of the Cabela’s headquarters, which employed around…