Key Takeaways
- • Silicon Prairie News tallied 21 Nebraska venture capital deals from July through September 2026, using data compiled from Invest Nebraska and PitchBook.
- • The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's latest Startup Studio cohort will each receive $70,000 in SAFE notes, down from $100,000 for previous groups, because the program fell short of its original fundraising goal after an investor dropped out.
- • Several listed accelerator participants, including members of Innosphere/NSF, Vogt Awards and Techstars programs, did not receive equity-based capital through their program participation, underscoring that accelerator membership does not equal a funding round.
- • Invest Nebraska cautions that the dataset is a snapshot rather than a complete overview and may differ from other PitchBook and industry reports due to rounding, pending deals and stakeholder-submitted information.
Summary
Startup program graduates and founders with university ties were active in Nebraska's venture market during the third quarter of 2026, according to a venture capital dataset compiled from Invest Nebraska and PitchBook and reported by Silicon Prairie News. The data highlights 21 deals completed between July and September. The included companies range from established startups with prior fundraising, such as the agtech company DARO, which incubated at The Combine in Lincoln, to very early-stage ventures. Graduates of the NMotion accelerator, including the camping technology company Set Your Sites and the immigration technology company Immigify, also recorded new VC investments.
University of Nebraska system involvement extended beyond student founders. Faculty and researchers contributed to medtech companies Grasshopper Health and Virtual Incision. Students in the latest Startup Studio cohort from the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management are also represented. Jake Koperski, assistant director of Startup Studio, said each student company will receive $70,000 in SAFE notes rather than the $100,000 provided to prior cohorts, because the program did not reach its original fundraising goal. He said the school adjusted program costs after an investor withdrew.
The report also clarifies that accelerator participation is not synonymous with capital raised. PitchBook initially flagged several companies active in accelerator cohorts, but such membership did not necessarily involve equity investment. Nave Analytics, an irrigation intelligence company in an ongoing Innosphere and National Science Foundation cohort, has not received investment tied to its involvement, according to co-founder and CEO Jessica Korinek, though the program could lead to financial support. DreamMoney founder and CEO Megan Hale said her company received no VC with its 2026 Vogt Awards acceptance but will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding. Quantum Qool joined the latest Techstars Columbus program, where Techstars accelerator participation includes a $220,000 investment, while members of the Techstars Founder Catalyst Global Fall 2026 pre-accelerator, run through the nonprofit Open Range, do not receive VC.
Invest Nebraska investment associate Ben Hohensee cautioned that figures may differ from PitchBook and other reports due to rounding, pending transactions and varying submitted data. Invest Nebraska also excluded companies such as Rocket Carwash and INSight Partners/INSight Capital from its criteria because they did not fit its startup definition. For a broader analysis, Invest Nebraska's 2026 Nebraska Venture Capital Report covers full-year 2025 activity in the state.
University of Nebraska system involvement extended beyond student founders. Faculty and researchers contributed to medtech companies Grasshopper Health and Virtual Incision. Students in the latest Startup Studio cohort from the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management are also represented. Jake Koperski, assistant director of Startup Studio, said each student company will receive $70,000 in SAFE notes rather than the $100,000 provided to prior cohorts, because the program did not reach its original fundraising goal. He said the school adjusted program costs after an investor withdrew.
The report also clarifies that accelerator participation is not synonymous with capital raised. PitchBook initially flagged several companies active in accelerator cohorts, but such membership did not necessarily involve equity investment. Nave Analytics, an irrigation intelligence company in an ongoing Innosphere and National Science Foundation cohort, has not received investment tied to its involvement, according to co-founder and CEO Jessica Korinek, though the program could lead to financial support. DreamMoney founder and CEO Megan Hale said her company received no VC with its 2026 Vogt Awards acceptance but will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding. Quantum Qool joined the latest Techstars Columbus program, where Techstars accelerator participation includes a $220,000 investment, while members of the Techstars Founder Catalyst Global Fall 2026 pre-accelerator, run through the nonprofit Open Range, do not receive VC.
Invest Nebraska investment associate Ben Hohensee cautioned that figures may differ from PitchBook and other reports due to rounding, pending transactions and varying submitted data. Invest Nebraska also excluded companies such as Rocket Carwash and INSight Partners/INSight Capital from its criteria because they did not fit its startup definition. For a broader analysis, Invest Nebraska's 2026 Nebraska Venture Capital Report covers full-year 2025 activity in the state.
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