An anti-terrorism chatbot and protective wear for healthcare: The 2026 Innovation Awards winners

In ‘rug pull,’ Dee Eee Dee delayed new BIA contracts for months and left startups with few answers

A legal review at DED and a new funding stream for the BIA was poorly communicated to new awardees under the program, who had to wait from July until mid-September to start receiving expected grant funding. Questions remain about how and to what level the BIA is being funded this year.

Registration still open for the Tech Nebraska Summit on Oct. 21

The summit is Tech Nebraska’s first since spinning out from the Nebraska Chamber and becoming an independent organization in September. Over 500 executives, founders, policymakers and business leaders are expected to attend.

Prairie Portraits: Nathan Preheim

The Prairie Portraits series features founders, funders and community builders from Nebraska's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Five Things: Hustle Conference 2026

The annual entrepreneurship conference took place on Sept. 30 at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business. The event brought local founders and celebrated innovators behind names such as Shazam, GitHub and Liquid Death together to share insights for building a company and brand.

New book released by Open Range celebrates 40 Nebraska startups and the wider state ecosystem

Open Range is an Omaha-based nonprofit with the mission of supporting the entrepreneurial hubs of Greater Omaha and Lincoln. Titled “Open Book,” the publication includes an index of company profiles and community stakeholders. SPN contributed original reporting and content adapted within the book.