Omaha is becoming the hub for tech startups and innovation in Nebraska. The ten Omaha companies in this list may have contributed significantly to that progress. Let’s check them out.
Nebraska was once in last place when it came to venture capital, but no more. Omaha companies and those in neighboring Lincoln have proven attractive to investors. Thanks to Lincoln-based software company Hudl raising $228.9 million in VC funds since its founding in 2006, among other startups in the state, Nebraska is now 38th in the US for receiving investment funds.
Listen to the Podcast Episode About Omaha's Top Startups
At any rate, Omaha startups have something noteworthy to offer in the startup scene. Here are our picks for top Omaha companies for 2022.
John Grange
CTO of OpsCompass (Founded 2016)
Follow on LinkedIn
Small businesses can now have complete control over cloud security with the free version of OpsCompass. Built specifically for DevOps, OpsCompass Community helps companies obtain a complete view of their cloud data, applications, and infrastructure.
The company uses Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools to identify configuration and compliance issues in the cloud. It also offers an enterprise SaaS product that provides deep visibility, control, and intelligence over cloud operations, security, and policy compliance. It supports all leading cloud platforms, including Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
OpsCompass also offers a free 30-day trial. Paid plans start at $500 a month for up to 500 resources. The company is under the leadership of Nathan Biggs as CEO and John Grange as CTO. OpsCompass has acquired $9.8 million in three funding rounds from 6 investors since its founding.
Startup Hustle spoke with John Grange about "Why is Cloud Security Important?" Listen to the episode here.
Zach Harris
CEO of BenefitBay (Founded 2021)
Follow on LinkedIn
Benefitbay is an end-to-end Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) administration platform for brokers and employers. A full-service SaaS technology suite makes it easier for employees to keep personal health plans even when they change jobs. At the same time, employers enrolled in Benefitbay maintain the tax benefits of a group policy.
The goal of Benefitbay is to ensure employees have health insurance wherever they are. The ICHRA is an account-based health plan, not an employer-based one. That means employers can provide non-taxed reimbursements to employees with individual health coverage for qualified medical expenses. These expenses include premiums and out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copayments.
Benefitbay initially launched in 2016 as a platform to help small business owners manage their employee health insurance costs. However, ICHRA was unavailable, so the platform had few takers. It relaunched in 2021 under CEO and founder Zach Harris. Benefitbay has acquired $3 million in one funding round since then.
Startup Hustle had a conversation with Zach Harris on "How to Relaunch a Startup." Listen to the episode here.
Rick Knudtson
CPO of Workshop (Founded 2020)
Follow on LinkedIn
Workshop is a platform for internal communications for employees to send, receive, and share important information. A subscription includes a drag and drop designer, unlimited emails and admins, template library, analytics, user roles, and distribution lists.
Their goal is to help companies build inclusive and engaging company cultures through effective internal communication. It can generate reports to analyze engagement so companies can adjust their employee management strategies and improve results.
Workshop founders worked together at Flywheel, a web hosting company, and all hold key roles. Dusty Davidson is CEO, Derek Homann is Chief Customer Officer, Ben Stevinson is CTO, and Rick Knudtson is CPO. Under their leadership, Workshop acquired $3.5 million in one seed funding round from four investors.
Startup Hustle spoke with Rick Knudtson about "Improving Internal Company Communications." Listen to the episode here.
Described as Tinder for events, Event Vesta allows users to post events quickly and easily for others to find just as easily. Anyone on the platform can filter their search by activity or scroll through featured events.
Founder Andrew Prystai states that his goal is to provide customer service better than IKEA. Indeed, the platform is easy to use, so businesses beyond Omaha have started using it to promote their events. Event Vesta currently features activities in Midwestern and Southern areas such as Kansas City, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.
The lockdowns due to the pandemic didn't slow it down. It simply adjusted to the new circumstances and started including virtual and hybrid events. Event Vesta is also available as a mobile app.
Prystai heads the company as CEO with co-founder Billy Martin as Director of Business Development. Vesta has acquired $50K from one pre-seed funding round.
Breeze helps people prepare for the unexpected. An insurtech distributor offers a simplified approach to disability and critical illness applications. Anyone can sign up on the online platform to get quotes in seconds and apply for a product in minutes.
Breeze aims to close the income protection gap in disability and critical illness insurance. Disability and critical insurance minimize loss of income in the event of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and other medical conditions.
These products are critical protections for workers but often under-utilized because of a confusing application process and awareness. Breeze solves these problems, helping consumers connect with the right insurer quickly and affordably.
Breeze is under the leadership of its founders, CEO Colin Nabity and CTO Cody Leach. The company has raised $10 million in one Series A round with six investors since its founding .
Logica offers financial modeling software to help companies make financial decisions based on multiple scenario analyses. It provides a visual, collaborative platform for dynamic planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Logica is one of the companies selected by "kingmaker" investor group Y Combinator for its winter 2021 cohort.
The goal of Logica is to help businesses make informed decisions about product projections and sales force needs. It has a drag-and-drop interface for building financial models for real-time collaboration across the organization. The platform integrates with accounting and analysis tools to enable users to compare plans vs. actual.
Logica is a Hispanic and Latinx-founded company led by CEO Carissa Castro and co-founder Leandro Castro. The company has acquired $1.1 million in three funding rounds from three investors since its founding .
This Omaha company is a testament to the value pet owners place on their furry friends. Petfriendly is a subscription-based pet care products company that has acquired $6 million in investor funding in one funding round from four investors.
Essentially, Petfriendly sends vet-quality flea and tick protection packages for dogs and cats for $8 a month, all-in. Members' added benefits include free treats, application reminders, and one-call vet support staff. The company also customizes packages with the pet's name and photo, which always goes over well with fond fur parents.
Led by its founders, CEO Aaron Shaddy and COO Ryan Finstad, Petfriendly helps pet owners remember their pets' health needs. Depending on their size and needs, it provides just-in-time EPA-approved safe, easy-to-apply topical protection to pets.
ScoreVision is a software company that provides professional-level fan experiences to sports programs. Of note is the Scorekeeper App that transforms scoreboards into information platforms. They keep score and time and show any uploaded videos such as academic projects and events.
The Scorekeeper app aligns with ScoreVision's mission to enhance the game-time experience. However, it also has other offerings, including the customizable Fan app, Capture app, and Producer app. It also offers a cloud hub and football practice software.
ScoreVision is the brainchild of sports enthusiasts. Michael Medrano serves as Chairman of the Board, and co-owner David Sutter serves as Chief Product and Creative Officer.
SecureSky is also a CSPM and compliance solutions provider like OpsCompass. The company's goal is to help organizations secure their cloud environment, including applications and services.
The platform enables business owners to fully visualize current and emerging threats across the cloud stack and respond in real-time. SecureSky also offers enterprises security, compliance, and forensic services to defend against cyber-attacks.
Founded by CEO Mike Hrabik and Steve Idelman, SecureSky has secured $6.5 million in venture capital in one seed funding round. It has also acquired San Francisco-based Security-as-a-Platform company EvengX.
VidaNYX is a video platform with military-grade security serving more than 5,000 legal and social service agencies. Its mission is to accelerate justice by 67% and provide access to critical video evidence at 90% less cost.
The company is a cloud-based solution specifically designed to help child advocacy centers and organizations address human traffic and abuse. It works with law enforcement, justice departments, and sector experts to improve its offerings.
VidaNYX works with District and County Attorneys, law enforcement, child advocates, and child protective services. It aims to help more than 700,000 child abuse and neglect survivors every year.
Serial founder and expert communicator Shelly Cano Kurtz founded VidaNYX in 2018. Shelly continues her involvement as a Board member, but Sara Boyd heads it as CEO. The platform has acquired $5.3 million in two funding rounds from six investors since its founding.
Top Omaha Startups on the Rise
Omaha companies have not always gotten the attention they deserve, but that is now changing. Many venture capitalists and angel investors diversify their portfolios for tech startups beyond tech hubs. The tech startups and Omaha companies on this list indicate that Nebraska will be moving up the ranks for investors.
If you would like to read more about top startups in other cities, check out our list here!
At Startup Hustle, we're always happy to get insights from other successful founders to guide other startups to make it big. We upload new episodes every day, so you will never run out of the good stuff.
If you want to sponsor our episodes or be a guest on the podcast, reach out and get involved!
