NEWS
On April 25th, Volunteer Partners held their Celebrating People in Action event where Nebraska Global was presented the Recognition of Corporate Community Service award for its volunteer work in 2012.
As part of National Volunteer Week (April 21-26), Volunteer Partners awarded various individuals, groups, and companies for their service to Lincoln and Lancaster County. Nebraska Global was recognized for their massive number of volunteer hours donated across the city by their employees, their advocacy of volunteerism that has led to achieving 100% participation in their Employee Volunteer Program, and their work in launching the Nebraska Global Fund for Nonprofit Technology.
Julie Smith, Executive Director of Volunteer Partners, spoke to Nebraska Global's dedication to volunteerism, "As a tough economy puts increasing pressure on nonprofits to do more with less, Nebraska Global finds solutions and connects employees with opportunities to use their skills in helping these organizations accomplish their goals."
"This is a great tribute to the passion our employees have for giving back to the community. 100% participation is the result because they choose to volunteer their time," said Nebraska Global Principal and CTO Doug Durham.
On April 17th, Nebraska Global was announced as one of the top three medium-sized businesses recognized for the 2013 Lincoln's Best Places to Work award. Sponsored by the Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln Human Resource Management Association, and Woods & Aiken LLP, this award recognizes the best workplaces in Lincoln based on employee surveys.
Almost 100 companies were nominated by employees for the award, and winners were picked from nearly 4,200 employee surveys that were conducted earlier this year.
"We are very honored by this recognition," said Nebraska Global Principal and CTO Doug Durham. "We have always felt that one of the keys to realizing our vision was to hire great people who share our values and understand the culture we feel is necessary to be successful. Our employees started the nomination process of their own accord, which tells me we are on the right path."
Beehive Industries, a leading developer of asset and infrastructure management software, is pleased to announce a newly launched partner company, mySalesman, to develop web-based software that will revolutionize how the fence industry qualifies potential customers.
As part of the fence industry for over six years, mySalesman founder Matt Warner frequently dealt with the struggles mySalesman was invented to alleviate.
"As a salesman and branch manager in Lincoln, Nebraska, one of the biggest challenges was determining whether a customer wanted a fence now or just needed a budget for the future," said Warner. "Our employees spent many hours meeting with customers that ended up being dead-end leads. After adding up the expenses of fuel and time spent on these unsuccessful leads, I wanted to develop a way for customers to get a budget on their own and have a 24/7, real-time self-service tool to satisfy all of their fence inquiries using a simple online pseudo-shopping experience."
Beehive Industries is helping bring his idea for this industry-changing software to life.
By partnering with local fence companies across the globe, mySalesman will streamline how customers interact with local fence companies. Prospective customers access a co-branded mySalesman-powered website that features a powerful interactive map to find their parcel, and plot the basic dimensions and location of their fence. Customers can then explore various design options from a catalog customized by the local company and generate a quote before they ever meet with a salesperson. This provides superior service to customers and save fence contractor's time by only involving a salesperson when the customer is ready to move forward with their project.
Nebraska Global Principal and COO Patrick Smith sees the benefit in partnering two different sets of expertise to build a new kind of solution. Smith explained, “Beehive is a powerful platform that provided mySalesman with immediate access to a sophisticated platform. Matt and the mySalesman team have all of the expertise and firsthand experience in the industry to ensure the mySalesman solution solved the problem in their industry, and did so effectively to immediately benefit their fence company clients. The team’s domain expertise combined with our software expertise has provided software that has gained immediate traction. We look forward to the future with mySalesman.”
Learn more at mySalesman's website, www.mysalesman.com.
Nebraska Global continues investing in and providing assistance to new and early-stage software companies. The latest company to emerge from this mission is Locabal, an online marketplace that connects producers of hand-crafted items with buyers both globally and locally.
Locabal was founded by Neema Bahramzad and Caitlin Bales, both of whom are students of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management. Their approach to providing artisans another way to reach consumers is more than simply providing an online storefront.
"We want to create a relationship between the buyer and the seller that doesn’t end at the point of purchase. We want the buyer to come back multiple times," explained Bahramzad. "By applying machine learning algorithms to analyze how buyers interact with the website, we are able display items that match their preferences. In the end, Locabal wants to completely change the way products make their way to consumers."
"Neema and Caitlin have incredible initiative and passion for their company," said Steve Kiene, Managing Principal of Nebraska Global. "When they approached us for seed funding I was immediately impressed with their knowledge of both the business side and the technical aspects of their idea. Not many students have the confidence to come pitch their idea and they walked away from our meeting with their funding. Their mindset of building customer relationships resonated with me and I was happy to engage with them."
Bahramzad and Bales assembled a team of fellow students who were pursuing degrees in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Business Management, and Supply Chain Management to help bring their idea to life as quickly as possible. They felt this combination of various studies gave the team a unique combination of perspectives that would prove essential to the company's success.
"The way we see it, the combination of youthful optimism, familiarity with the latest technologies, and our unique education makes us the perfect team for enabling entrepreneurs across the world to sell their passion to buyers regardless of location," said Bahramzad.
Learn more at Locabal's website, www.locabal.com
Nebraska Global Managing Principal Steve Kiene and Vice President Tom Chapman traveled to Washington D.C. on February 5 to attend the Startup America Partnership meeting with various White House officials.
Kiene and Chapman were invited as representatives of Startup Nebraska, along with Startup America representatives from nine other states, to present their strategies, needs, and concerns about improving small business and entrepreneurial environments. Representatives met with Karen Gordon Mills, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Todd Park, U.S. Chief Technology Officer; Thomas Kalil, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank.
Kiene and Chapman discussed how Nebraska is focused on creating statewide partners to strengthen businesses from traditional sectors (such as agriculture and transportation), and help get startup businesses in non-traditional sectors (like software and technology) off the ground.
"Face time with senior White House officials gave us a great opportunity to express the challenges Nebraskans face in building new companies. We discussed needed improvements to financing, reform of US patent law, changes in education, and our strategies for building companies the Nebraskan way," said Kiene.
The trip also afforded opportunities to not only share what's happening in Nebraska, but to learn about the challenges and successes experienced by others from across the country.
"Going to Washington, D.C. is always interesting because you get the opportunity to hear about what is happening both in the political sphere and also, through Startup America, in so many other regions within the country," said Chapman. "I think that both Steve and I were excited to hear about the efforts around the country particularly in Indiana and Iowa – the other two Midwestern states that presented."
Chapman added, "It was wonderful to meet so many of our country’s leaders from Karen Mills, the head of the Small Business Administration to Steve Case, the founder of AOL, and his wife Jean, the CEO of the Case Foundation. These leaders provide such tremendous insight and access to opportunities for Nebraska Global and its companies."
Follow-up discussions are taking place in the near future and the response from the White House has been encouraging.
The Nebraska Global Fund for Nonprofit Technology, in partnership with the Lincoln Community Foundation, recently completed a project for the Clyde Malone Community Center by matching skills-based volunteers with grant funds. This project used donated hardware and discounted software to provide the Malone Center with 24 laptops to be used in community outreach activities.
The project case study is available for download here.
Nebraska Global continues to foster the growth of the technology environment in Nebraska with the announcement of an expanded mission for its research and development arm, Don't Panic Labs.
The vision of Don’t Panic Labs is growing to help other regional businesses grow more rapidly by providing software development resources to other companies and expanding the talent available to these companies. Don’t Panic Labs’ expertise is solving challenging problems with limited oversight on a compressed timeline. By using best-in-class professionals, Don’t Panic Labs is uniquely positioned to build incredible solutions at an aggressive pace.
Nebraska Global is opening Don’t Panic Labs to a broader public mission because it recognizes some key and persistent problems affecting the region’s software ecosystem: the availability of talent, elasticity of resources, and tactical application. Through continual inquiries, Nebraska Global discovered that both larger companies and some funded startups share very similar challenges. However, most companies simply are not adequately staffed to solve these challenges or have the skills and flexibility to do so. Don’t Panic Labs built a robust team of software experts to address these types of situations. From applied math and big data architecture to user experience and mobile development, Don’t Panic Labs has a dynamic group of professionals who offer creative solutions that couple flexible staffing with timely results.
Don't Panic Labs operates out of Nebraska Global’s headquarters in Lincoln's Historic Haymarket District. For more information, visit the Don’t Panic Lab’s website at www.dontpaniclabs.com. The company can also be reached by email at contact@dontpaniclabs.com.
Nebraska Global is pleased to announce it has closed its sixth investment by adding Lincoln-based 42 (formerly Roundscapes) to its company portfolio. Nebraska Global's multi-year, $1.5 million round of funding with co-investor Nelnet will enable 42 to scale development of a revolutionary approach to augmented reality and next-generation digital experiences.
Steve Kiene, Managing Principal of Nebraska Global, described the investment as groundbreaking for its fund, which has made five prior investments in other Nebraska-based software companies. “Nebraska Global normally invests in pure software companies at early growth stages, and 42 is an interesting opportunity to add velocity to the software side of a more diverse digital business,” said Kiene. “We’re excited about the new software products being produced at 42 and have great faith in their team and mission.”
Christopher Kingsley, founder and CEO of 42, said, “42 is really fortunate to partner with Nebraska Global. They’ve been so awesome and are always ready to rock when we need them. They’re entrepreneurs at their core with tons of experience across a lot of technical fields and we’re so grateful to have them on our team,” Kingsley said. “This is exactly the kind of partnership we were looking for and their people have made all the difference.”
42 will continue to maintain offices in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska and in San Francisco, California.
Nebraska Global continues to develop viable, long-term software companies in Nebraska with the announcement of its fifth investment, EliteForm.
EliteForm was founded on the belief that integrated technology provides the next competitive edge in athletic strength training, competition, and sports science. EliteForm's goal is to provide seamlessly integrated products to assist athletes in discovering and reaching their maximum potential.
EliteForm is launching with two product offerings. StrengthPlanner is a strength training management system that enables coaches to design workouts, track an athlete's training development, and generate personalized strength cards – three of the most time-consuming coaching duties. StrengthPlanner's mission is to get coaches out from behind the computer and in front of their athletes.
EliteForm's PowerTracker solution uses patent pending algorithms and the latest in 3D computer vision to track the movement of athletes during strength exercises without the use of wired attachments. A touchscreen interface at the lifting station gives athletes real time feedback on their workout, providing guidance that normally happens only when a coach is present.
StrengthPlanner and PowerTracker can be used together for a full end-to-end training and management solution designed to be used at all levels of organized athletics. The experience is designed to motivate athletes, increase team competitiveness, and capture objective metrics that were previously lost in order to more intelligently train athletes.
Brian Zimmer, General Manager at EliteForm, stated, "Living and growing inside Don't Panic Labs allowed our team to develop the talent and experience necessary to identify and solve an incredibly complex technical challenge. Together we've produced a solution where many others have failed, and we've taken a substantial step towards building the next competitive edge within athletes. The resources at Nebraska Global allowed us to move faster, make fewer mistakes, and get access to people in the sports industry that would have otherwise been out of reach."
Steve Kiene, Managing Principal at Nebraska Global, added, "EliteForm is exciting to Nebraska Global because they have managed to develop some incredibly leading-edge technology and evolve it into a large market opportunity where the technology itself is invisible to the customer. The solutions they have developed are simple, elegant, and cost-effective. We're pleased to have invested in such a talented group of young Nebraskans, and feel very fortunate to have five of them come from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management."
EliteForm has partnered with the University of Nebraska Athletic Department in the development of StrengthPlanner and PowerTracker. UNL is the first customer for the system and is currently using a prototype system in the Ndamukong Suh Strength Complex and the Hawks Championship Center.
“Working with EliteForm allows the Huskers to utilize leading-edge technology in strength and conditioning. We are very pleased to be involved with the innovative people at EliteForm,” commented UNL Athletic Director Tom Osborne.
Learn more at www.eliteform.com.
Nebraska Global continues to foster the development of an influential technology environment in Nebraska with the announcement of Beehive Industries. This is the fourth deal announced by the Lincoln, Nebraska-based software investment fund.
Beehive Industries has developed a software suite and framework for managing assets and infrastructure of any kind, with the initial focus on local government and public utilities. The Beehive suite was specifically designed to make complex processes as simple as possible for users while exceeding the quality and capabilities expected in an asset management suite.
Initial modules cover management of several utilities, including wastewater, water, and storm water. In addition, Beehive has created a dynamic public portal as part of our Self Service Government initiative.
Bill Sheldon, President of Beehive Industries, notes, “We are using today’s technologies to deliver a comprehensive solution that feels good to use. The incredible resources that Nebraska Global brings have allowed us to quickly build a game-changer in the infrastructure management industry.”
"Beehive is an excellent fit for us as the teams can really leverage veteran technology with deep domain expertise to create an entire asset management platform that makes competitive options look generally bloated at best; in price, licensing terms, and lagging technology,” states Patrick Smith, Principal and COO of Nebraska Global. “Beehive will be a major player in a very short period of time and we look forward to the continued success and journey with the team."
Beehive plans for sixteen additional modules to become available in the following months. Learn more at www.beehiveindustries.com.
Nebraska Global today announced that it has completed the capital raise portion of its Nebraska Global Investment Fund at $37.3 million. The fund is one of the largest software investment funds in the Midwest, and has attracted investors drawn to the idea of building sustainable, impactful and globally competitive technology companies through the cultivation of local talent.
The fund was oversubscribed – closing at $37.3 million, far exceeding the original target of $30 million. Ultimately, the fund turned away an additional $10 million to ensure a strategic fit with its investment approach.
Steve Kiene, co-founder of Nebraska Global, noted, “We are extremely pleased to have not only completed our funding, but to have far exceeded our goal and expectations in both dollars and quality of investors. To have key foundational Nebraskans as investors in addition to well-known technology entrepreneurs is a testament to the strength and quality of Nebraska and of our strategy to create long term sustainable value within Nebraska and the Midwest.”
Investors in the Nebraska Global Investment Fund include Capricorn Investment Group, the investment arm of Jeff Skoll (former President of eBay), the University of Nebraska Foundation, Jeffrey S. Raikes, Nelnet, co-founder Kiene and approximately ten others. All of the investors have Nebraska ties and have expressed a commitment to growing software businesses in the region.
Capricorn Chief Investment Officer, Stephen George, commented, “As a Nebraska native and resident, I believe the next decade in technology development can include great innovative business success from Nebraska and the heartland. The region has a unique pioneering and hard-working spirit, is strong in math and science, and the Internet provides a mechanism for companies here to compete on a global basis. Capricorn is excited to be an investor in Nebraska Global and it will be an important capital and operational engine for terrific entrepreneurship here.”
With regards to the other investors, Kiene explained, “We have a group of investors who have built or run world-class businesses and who invested because they understand and agree with our approach of building sustainable businesses, long term.”
Nebraska Global intends to invest its funds in multiple companies with target investments from $100,000 to $5 million. Nebraska Global has already invested in three companies — Don’t Panic Labs, EC3H and ICORA, and is currently working on finalizing three others. One investment is an outside deal and the other two are internal ideas. In order to invest in and create great software companies, the company will leverage its technical aptitude, particularly on Microsoft platforms.
The company is seeking new ideas and projects to start and in which to invest. “We are actively looking for solid business ideas, great employees, and determined entrepreneurs,” Kiene said. With the size of the fund, Nebraska Global believes that it will be able to create a lasting impact on Nebraska and its technology landscape.
At the 15th annual Celebrate Business Awards, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce presented Nebraska Global with the award for Entrepreneurial Spirit. This award recognizes a person or company that has exemplified creativity in the development of enterprise in the City of Lincoln.
The award recognizes that Nebraska Global is delivering what it was founded upon, “When nerds and money meet, amazing things can happen.” This foundation has already led to the public launch of three companies: Don’t Panic Labs, ICORA and EC3H, with three more in the works. These companies have created over 50 new high paying jobs, including many young, talented people who may have otherwise left the state.
In addition, the commitment to service in the community has been steadfast despite being a “start-up” with the employees of Nebraska Global logging over 3,000 hours in community service in the last year. This activity is key to the economic vitality for current and future generations in Lincoln and the State of Nebraska.
Nebraska Global hosted an end of the summer showcase featuring projects completed by the inaugural class of summer interns with Don’t Panic Labs. Twenty-four University of Nebraska-Lincoln students worked on four product teams, which were created to simulate the experience of working at a software start-up.
All teams explored different types of technology to solve a real world problem with a technology solution. The projects exposed them to everything from machine learning, to video processing, to interfacing with popular web services. At the showcase, teams detailed the future viability for their products based on investment and resources needs, market opportunity and other challenges facing their product going to market. Other elements of the projects may be incorporated into products developed by Nebraska Global companies.
- Moriarty developed software using motion capture technology with the Microsoft Kinect.
- GeekSeeq created a mobile and web-based application that utilizes Bluetooth technology to find the physical location of people in the office.
- Carnac uses live video from a webcam to locate available street-level parking.
- PlanHandler built a web platform for organizing, collaborating and publicizing events.
Steve Kiene remarked at the showcase, “Our intern program was meant to have a selfish impact on getting kids to stay in Nebraska after graduation.” Kiene continued “The quality of the alpha versions these young folks created rival many of the products and companies seeking funding today. Impressive given they had ten weeks to get it completed.” Nebraska Global will consider small seed rounds of funding on these projects as appropriate and is further committed to continue to evolve the program into the future and is already making plans for the 2012 summer internship program.
Alec Johnston, a member of the PlanHandler team, commented on his experience, “One of the things I like the best about the internship is that I get the chance to work with a lot of really smart people. In our groups we have been assigned two mentors that work on their own projects are also available for us to go and consult if we need help and that is a really great resource and something I haven’t had experience with having before.”
Video profiles of the intern teams and their projects can be found on the Don’t Panic Labs YouTube channel.
ICORA, a Nebraska Global company, has achieved Silver Competency through Microsoft as an Independent Software Vendor (ISV). This achievement came just one week following the general release of its first product, Mako XRM, which delivers a visual user interface for customization and implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Microsoft offers the Silver designation to ISV partners that “have demonstrated high-level expertise and a specialized, proven skill set in a given technology or service area.”
Nebraska Global is pleased that the timeline from idea to product launch was less than five months and followed an idea first developed in Don’t Panic Labs. Doug Durham, Nebraska Global Principal and CTO, remarked, “By using some of the talented individuals from inside Don’t Panic Labs and bringing in the necessary talent to help drive the company, we were able to not only launch a company and get its first product released in less than five months, but to achieve a Silver Competency immediately upon release…I can’t think of too many places where that can happen.”
ICORA, established as a Nebraska Global company in 2011, is a Microsoft Dynamics Independent Software Vendor (ISV) based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The primary mission of ICORA is to deliver game-changing solutions that enable Microsoft Dynamics Partners and products to compete and win while evolving the user experience.
For more information about ICORA or Mako XRM, go to www.ICORA.com
Nebraska Global is pleased to announce it has closed its third investment by adding Lincoln-based EC3H to its partner company portfolio. EC3H is an existing technology company that helps to solve complex decedent debt challenges for creditors throughout the US. The $1.5 million investment also includes technical resources to help EC3H accelerate its growth and market penetration with the needed scale and technical disciplines.
Major creditors issue in excess of $5.5 trillion in debt every year, with a portion of that debt remaining unpaid upon death. This leaves creditors mired down in the complex world of claims, probate and ever changing statutes in order to recover owed amounts from estates. EC3H’s platform enables creditors to offload that burden in order to maximize recovered amounts and focus on their core business.
Patrick Smith, Nebraska Global COO, says “The investment in EC3H represents a strategic addition to our family of portfolio companies and fits nicely where we love to operate, leveraging technology to solve complex problems to generate real value for our customers. The EC3H team has identified a great niche and we look forward to contributing to their success.”
“On behalf of my partners at EC3H, we want to thank Nebraska Global for their commitment to help grow this business and keep technology jobs here in Nebraska,” stated Tony Reiling, Co-Founder of EC3H. “We believe the combination of talent and experience from both companies positions EC3H to dominate this industry for many years to come.”
EC3H will join Nebraska Global at its headquarters in the Haymarket later this summer.
Nebraska Global is the winner of the 2011 Walter Scott Entrepreneurship Award presented by University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken. This award, given annually to a Nebraska-based business that creates partnerships and links with the University of Nebraska, is accompanied by $10,000 that can be used for the promotion or creation of student work experiences in the fields of information science, technology, and engineering.
Each week, Nebraska Global is actively involved with UNL students and the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science & Management. Nebraska Global team members teach classes and mentor college students in software architecture, database design, and the overall disciple of software engineering. Nebraska Global also sponsors Design Studio projects in partnership with Raikes School, and provides resources and workspace at the Nebraska Global offices to help students complete their projects. Since the beginning of the 2010-2011 academic year, Nebraska Global has volunteered over 250 hours of service to the Raikes School.
The Walter Scott prize will be used to support Nebraska Global’s summer internship program, which will integrate 22 University of Nebraska students into the Nebraska Global team and provide real-life involvement in the software development and venture capital experience. The internship program also provides the opportunity for interns to develop a software business that will be seed funded by the Walter Scott prize.
Nebraska Global will be honored during a luncheon later in the spring.
Amanda Garner, Director of Community Outreach for Nebraska Global, is the recipient of the 2011 Community Volunteerism Advocate Award. This award is given annually by Volunteer Partners to recognize a person who has promoted, supported and encouraged others to volunteer, as well as spoken out on the importance of volunteering.
Amanda was nominated by Ruthi Thompson of CEDARS Youth Services in Lincoln. Ruthi stated in the nomination, “Amanda and all of the Nebraska Global staff recognize the importance of getting involved in helping those in the local community, and so many individuals have benefited from their generosity and ‘can do’ attitude. Their staff is patient, dedicated and not afraid to work with a population that some in the community shy away from because they are troubled teens.”
Since May 2010, Nebraska Global has volunteered over 2,000 hours at community organizations with an estimated $160,000 impact from their volunteer hours and donation of in-kind technology services. Volunteer Partners is an organization that helps match volunteers with non-profit organizations in the Lincoln and Lancaster County area.
ICORA is the second company funded by Nebraska Global. ICORA operate as an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) developing product solutions for the Microsoft Dynamics market. The initial product was hatched out of R&D from Don’t Panic Labs, Nebraska Global’s first company. The Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem represents an expansive, high growth market with the Software as a Service (SaaS) market share projected to be in excess of $15 billion by the end of 2011.
The first product developed by ICORA, Mako XRM will streamline the customization process and allow customers to increase line of business efficiencies and deliver a rich user experience. The product is set for general release early Summer 2011.
“ICORA represents an ideal opportunity for our company. One of the young developers operating within our R&D and people incubator, Don’t Panic Labs, had the freedom and opportunity to pursue a hunch and produce a working prototype to solve a difficult problem,” stated Patrick Smith, Nebraska Global’s COO. “As we validated the opportunity, we teamed youthful energy with solid domain expertise and attracted Allison Jensen from Microsoft to move to our community to run ICORA. New company, new jobs, great imported talent, and high expectations…this epitomizes what Nebraska Global set out to do.”
On Innovation Night, the first night of the two-day Nebraska Center of Entrepreneurship event, Steve Kiene was one of five recipients of the 2011 Nebraska Distinguished Entrepreneur Award. This award was given to recognize lifetime achievement in the area of Nebraska entrepreneurship and reflects Steve’s historical commitment to creating successful software companies here in Lincoln dating back to his days in high school.
On December 27, 2010 Nebraska Global hosted a video game and pizza party for youth who were currently placed at the CEDARS Emergency Shelter or Boys Group Home at the Nebraska Global offices. The purpose was to offer the kids a night of fun that would give them a change of scenery.
CEDARS staff attended the event and were kind enough to nominate Nebraska Global for the Advocate of the Quarter award. This award is given to an external group or individual that has done something to make a difference in the lives and families served by CEDARS. In the nomination by the CEDARS Emergency Shelter Staff they noted, “This event will undoubtedly be engrained in the minds of the youth for many years to come.” “Funny the staff is appreciative as it is our community that needs to be appreciative of them and places like Cedars,” stated Patrick Smith of the Nebraska Global team. “We look forward to seeing the kids again.”
Technology presents unique opportunities for non-profits to build their capacity in delivering their core services to the clients they serve. Child Advocacy Center serves the most vulnerable in our community, child victims of physical and sexual abuse. Nebraska Global is fortunate to be part of an important milestone in the history of the Child Advocacy Center by providing in-kind technology services and consulting to help them transition into a new chapter.
The greatest asset that Nebraska Global has is contained in its talented workforce. By leveraging this resource Nebraska Global is able to offer Child Advocacy Center access to resources that will allow them to harness the greatest capabilities that technology can offer while they serve their mission of offering a safe, child-friendly environment for child victims of abuse and their families. In addition, Nebraska Global is committed to keeping watch over the investment of time and assists Child Advocacy Center in system maintenance and support.
Having served with other Nebraska Global team members as an adjunct instructor and volunteering in numerous hours to help the school, Kiene was officially welcomed as the newest member of the Advisory Board at the Raikes School during the Fall ’10 board meeting.
The vision has always been that the Raikes School provides opportunities for students to gain a balanced education that combines the technology curriculum with an innovative program that allows students to become leaders for tomorrow’s technology industry. They achieve this vision through a corporate partner program that includes an Advisory Board led by Jeff Raikes. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this board and continue to work to advance the overall success of the Raikes School program and enhance the opportunities that are available to its graduates”, Kiene stated.
Don’t Panic Labs was launched by Nebraska Global to incorporate in-house development capabilities and to serve as a “people incubator” for talented individuals who want to become key difference-makers at great software companies. Its goal is to provide an environment where young aspiring people can get training, advice, and lessons on how to start their own software companies.
Don’t Panic Labs also provides significant R&D capabilities to companies funded by Nebraska Global and serves as an incubator for new ideas before they get funding. It offers inside access to Nebraska Global for funding, business advice, and community networking. Doug Durham, one of Nebraska Global’s founders states, “One of our primary missions at Nebraska Global is to serve as a talent incubator for young aspiring software entrepreneurs. Don't Panic Labs is unique in that not only does it provide a source of marketable products, it also provides the environment that allows us to integrate recent graduates into product teams with seasoned veterans, places them in leadership roles, provides them opportunities to mentor existing students and assists experienced individuals who are interested in starting their own companies.”
Nebraska Global assembled three teams consisting of Nebraska Global employees and students from the Raikes School for a day of competition and fun. Many teams consisting of over 100 individual participants competed with Nebraska Global finishing 2nd, 3rd and 6th. The Amazing Chase is an annual event held by St. Monica’s, an organization working to address the challenges of substance abuse in women. In its 5th year, this event has proven to give the local non-profit greater awareness in the community and continues to grow in popularity. We look forward to the 2011 Amazing Chase.
Nebraska Global closed initial funding to fulfill the mission to establish a globally competitive, vibrant, and impactful high tech environment creating sustainable long term economic development in the State of Nebraska via the creation of multiple for-profit companies.