Corporate Innovation

  • Homegrown medtech company Centese develops game-changing device for surgery patients

    Homegrown medtech company Centese develops game-changing device for surgery patients

    A new Omaha-based medtech company has developed a self-cleaning chest tube system that provides more precise measurements for monitoring patients recovering from surgery on their heart or lungs.  Startup Centese developed the device, called Thoraguard. Through a novel self-irrigating mechanism, Thoraguard eliminates one of the main hazards of analog chest tubes: the need for medical…

  • A look at Nebraska’s investment landscape

    A look at Nebraska’s investment landscape

    Talk to tech entrepreneurs in Nebraska, and they’re likely to laud the region’s innovative spirit. Next-level startups like Flywheel, Buildertrend, Lunavi, Hudl and more have grown an international presence and put the Cornhusker state on the map.  Even a cornerstone enterprise like Lincoln-based Nelnet has implemented its own innovation division. Conferences like the IO Summit,…

  • Loophire secures $300,000 funding in seed round

    Loophire secures $300,000 funding in seed round

    In its first open round of seed funding, Omaha startup Loophire recently secured an investment of $300,000 from Nebraska Angels to support the disruptive recruitment model that Loophire CEO and founder Chris Jones believes will shake up the recruitment industry. The idea for Loophire first arrived as a sudden idea in the middle of the…

  • The “A” Word – 05 – Collaboration & cooperation over negotiation & compromise

    The “A” Word – 05 – Collaboration & cooperation over negotiation & compromise

    This is part five of the “A” Word, Emily Truax’s ongoing series of articles on Agile. For previous installments, click here, here, here or here. I once read a project proposal that made me cry. But not for the reason you might think. This proposal had it all: a clear and concise business case, a well-researched user…

  • Leash Pet Transportation puts pets on the go

    Leash Pet Transportation puts pets on the go

    Omaha startup Leash Pet Transportation was founded on the idea that, much like people, pets have places to be.  Whether it’s a session with a groomer, a day at doggy day care, or a trip to the veterinarian or a boarding facility, pet ownership can mean more errands, making humans feel like bona fide pet…

  • Kansas City’s Swappa provides peer-to-peer marketplace for gently used tech

    Kansas City’s Swappa provides peer-to-peer marketplace for gently used tech

    For years, tech-savvy consumers have bemoaned the planned obsolescence that companies like Apple have encoded into their products like slow-motion time bombs.  If consumers have to pay so much for a device that they use everyday, the thinking goes, shouldn’t they be able to fix a cracked screen or replace a dead battery, for instance,…

  • 3 Keys to Help R&D Teams Prioritize Sustainability While Pursuing Innovation

    3 Keys to Help R&D Teams Prioritize Sustainability While Pursuing Innovation

    This is a guest post by Jackson Cummings, research and development engineer at NanoGuard Technologies. Every day, businesses run into big problems. When those issues threaten profits or long-term viability, companies spend significant resources to solve them. In this high-stress environment, tunnel vision can easily creep in and produce myopic and unsustainable solutions. For a…

  • 8 Qs for a Silicon Prairie Founder: Lizz Whitacre of Pawlytics

    8 Qs for a Silicon Prairie Founder: Lizz Whitacre of Pawlytics

    Lizz Whitacre is co-founder of Pawlytics, a cloud-based operations software provider for animal shelters and rescues working to develop electronic health records for pets and build the world’s largest pet database. SPN recently spotlighted the company and its socially driven mission to use data to save as many animals as possible. It’s a mission that…

  • ReEnvision Ag develops new way to plant

    ReEnvision Ag develops new way to plant

    A northeastern Iowa agtech startup is developing technology that will change the way farmers plant crops, all while saving them money and reducing environmental impact. Nora Springs, Iowa’s ReEnvision Ag is one of five agriculture technology companies participating in the AgLaunch 365 accelerator program, which aims to cultivate startups that will transform regional agriculture; create…

  • Mutual of Omaha upskills staff to meet tech modernization goals

    Mutual of Omaha upskills staff to meet tech modernization goals

    This is a sponsored post paid for by Mutual of Omaha and written by Annette Allen, the company’s senior business systems consultant. How do you stay competitive if you are a 100+-year-old insurance company? First, you gain an understanding of your customers and get in touch with what they want. Next, you identify the capabilities…