The third annual AgTech Connect convened startups, industry and producers from around the Midwest for a day devoted to learning about innovation in agriculture. The importance of connecting startups in the space with Midwest producers to drive real-world impact in the AgTech sector was a main theme throughout the event. Conference presenters included familiar faces…

A new industry-certified training program supported by the Heartland Robotics Cluster is upskilling Nebraskans to navigate a future or work that includes collaborative and industrial robotics. The training is available through the Nebraska Innovation Studio (NIS) at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Innovation Campus. Private businesses are sponsoring employees and individuals to get industry certified using robotic…

In June, Tessa Porter, candy scientist and founder of candy development company Sprinkk, opened a pair of state-of-the-art facilities in Nebraska to help up-and-coming confectionists bring their sweet treats to market.  Porter and her team hope to play a role in reshaping how startup candy makers develop and test their new product ideas with the…

This year’s Pitch Black event marks the first time the Midlands African Chamber hosted a conference alongside the annual pitch competition. The 2024 Pitch Black Conference and Tech Showcase attracted a diverse group of entrepreneurs, and one lucky startup walked away with $10,000 for their business. Read more about the event and see the list…

Monolith is a clean energy company that pioneered a new technology to produce carbon black and hydrogen. Now Monolith is expanding its footprint—and economic impact—in Nebraska by moving its global headquarters to Lincoln. Methane pyrolysis, also known as methane cracking or methane splitting, holds promise for a range of applications related to efforts to reduce…

Nebraska AgTech startup Nave Analytics raised a $400k funding round to advance its irrigation efficiency technology and expand into global markets. The AgTech startup developed a sensor-free irrigation platform that equips producers with tools to make data-informed decisions about water use. For example, the software can collect environmental data to produce 3-D maps of water…

Pipeline Entrepreneurs is a Kauffman Foundation program designed to support high-growth entrepreneurs in the Midwest, specifically Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Despite the Kauffman Foundation’s new strategic plan to refocus its commitments to drive more impact in the KC community, Pipeline’s Executive Director Melissa Vincent says the Pipeline Entrepreneurs program plans to target their efforts in…

Benson First Friday started in June 2012 as a DIY grassroots art walk produced by a pair of bartenders/artist in the Benson neighborhood in Omaha. Now officially BFF Omaha, the nonprofit is focused on fostering community engagement through art. The nonprofit upstart has come a long way under the leadership of Co-founder and Executive Director…

More than 100 people gathered to celebrate the latest cohort of NMotion founders at Millwork Commons in Omaha last week. Seven companies, including the winner of a recent NMotion pitch competition, presented their startups to the audience. NMotion announced its plan to invest an additional $3M in 30 more companies through 2026. The event also…

In 2022, as the nation emerged from a pandemic, Douglas County’s gross domestic product grew 9.2%—the most of any county with at least 500,000 residents, according to a recent report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The county, home of Omaha, had never previously placed in the top 50 since the agency began recording the…