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Midwest patience vs. coastal pressure: Nebraska and Philly show two paths to healthtech growth
Omaha vs. Philly: How do the healthtech ecosystems stack up? Two regions are taking different paths to become leaders in health innovation, showing how local culture and partnerships can shape national impact. Nebraska’s emerging healthtech scene mirrors Philly’s early days — and could teach its more mature counterpart a thing or two.
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Building businesses, building lives: RISE Business Academy graduates launch new futures
The RISE Business Academy has graduated its 13th cohort, adding eight new businesses led by entrepreneurs impacted by the justice system to Nebraska’s small business landscape. Through mentorship, practical training and community support, the 12-week program helps participants turn personal challenges into thriving ventures.
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Pitch Black 2025 celebrates BIPOC entrepreneurship and fifth anniversary of Midlands African Chamber
The annual conference hosted by the Midlands African Chamber brought together five local startups in a pitch competition for a grand prize of up to $15,000. The event also highlighted the struggles faced by minority business owners and the community resources available.
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Camp Alpaca gives educators the mic to build creative, culture-driven tools for schools
Camp Alpaca is a two-week paid summer internship in Omaha where educators gather to create practical, culture-focused tools for schools. Developed by education startup Alpaca, the program centers teacher voices, creative confidence and collaborative resource design.
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Lincoln-based Hudl acquires Titan Sports and Balltime, expanding access to performance data for athletes
Hudl has acquired Titan Sports and Balltime, expanding its performance tracking and AI analytics tools for teams across all levels of sport. The acquisitions aim to make athlete data more accessible and actionable, from high school fields to professional courts.
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Greater Omaha among the first selected for a new Techstars program
The region encompassing Omaha and Lincoln joins Sarajevo and Istanbul in the inaugural cohort of the Techstars Startup Community Partnerships program. The new initiative from the global startup accelerator is dedicated to fostering growth in startup communities worldwide and means additional resources for local founders in Nebraska.
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The Bay enters a new chapter with expanded youth programming in Omaha
The Bay is a nonprofit organization that offers community space and educational resources for youth centered on creative expression. Originally founded in Lincoln with a focus on skateboarding, the organization now offers programming at the Benson Community Center and will begin leading Omaha Girls Rock in 2026.
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Elevator to open new co-warehousing and office space in downtown Lincoln
Elevator is bringing its flexible co-warehousing and office space model to downtown Lincoln with a new 25,000-square-foot location in the Atrium building. Set to open this fall, the space aims to support small businesses with month-to-month leases, shared logistics and a vibrant entrepreneurial community.
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UNMC innovation born from the COVID pandemic now available to health care workers nationwide
MicroWash is a medical device used for nasal specimen collection that was created by UNMC researchers. It’s the first product available from University Medical Devices and its development highlights the collaboration between universities, manufacturers and startup support organizations in Nebraska.
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How Nebraska’s business ecosystem is learning and leveraging AI
As artificial intelligence gains traction across industries, Nebraska’s business and startup communities are learning how to adopt the technology through meetups, forums and cautious experimentation. While some warn that companies risk falling behind without AI, others emphasize the need for thoughtful implementation amid evolving regulations and risks.