Tech Nebraska founding Executive Director Laurel Oetken ended her two-year tenure leading the state’s first tech industry trade association. The organization is accepting applications to fill the role.

The Omaha-Council Bluffs Metro Area, now home to more than one million residents, ranks at the top of U.S. News & World Report’s list of the hottest housing markets for 2025. This recognition comes as a result of robust job growth, relatively low home prices and a unique system for financing new developments.

The following is a guest editorial from Kelly Lammers, Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance.

The Nebraska Municipal Inland Port Authority Act authorized the state’s Department of Economic Development to certify five communities to form inland port authorities. South Sioux City was recently designated as the fifth and final inland port authority under the act, which seeks to incentivize development projects and attract companies to the state.

Nebraska’s cottage food law allows individuals to produce and sell homemade foods directly to consumers. Recent updates to the law expand the types of food that can be prepared outside of a commercial kitchen. Now small-scale food producers have more pathways available when pursuing their new ideas.

Global commercial real estate company CBRE released its Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report last September highlighting 25 emerging tech talent hubs in North America, based on occupational and demographic data. The top 10 ranked cities, including Omaha, were featured in Site Selection Magazine’s 2025 Workforce Guide to examine their appeal to employers and employees.

Nebraska’s population is climbing, yet domestic outmigration persists, with college-educated individuals and higher earners among those most likely to leave. According to the 2024 Data and Research Series for Community Impact, the state’s core metros drive much of the modest growth, while rural and micropolitan areas still struggle with declines.

A newly released 2024 Business Innovation Act (BIA) Impact Analysis reveals that Nebraska’s startup ecosystem is fueling more than $1.17 billion in annual economic gains. Within that growth, the prototype grant program has emerged as a standout tool for turning early-stage ideas into market-ready ventures.

Nebraska ranks near the bottom in startup survival, and Omaha’s innovation ecosystem remains fragmented, according to a recent report. The Silicon Prairie Rising report lays out a roadmap for change, calling for a central organization to coordinate efforts and foster a thriving entrepreneurial environment.