The Combine
The Combine is Nebraska's AgTech startup incubator, operated by Invest Nebraska, providing mentorship, eight-module curriculum, workspace, and a farmer Insights Network to agri-food entrepreneurs across the state.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLincoln, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Combine does
The Combine is a Nebraska-based AgTech startup incubator operating as a non-profit program under Invest Nebraska, located at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. It serves high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through a rolling-admission incubator built around eight curriculum modules covering goal setting, idea assessment, and capital raise preparation, supplemented by physical incubation space (private office suites and hot desk memberships) and the Insights Network of partnering farmers and ranchers who provide real-world product validation.
The organization complements its core incubator with an annual AgTech Connect conference, monthly AgriFood Meetups, and direct investor office hours. Sponsorship is diversified across founding backers Invest Nebraska and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, plus statewide sponsors Valley Irrigation (Valmont Industries), Central Valley Ag, Ag4UP, the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, the University of Nebraska, Spur Ventures, and Grit Road Partners; a 2026 Microsoft TechSpark Community Engagement Fellowship extends programming to AI and rural entrepreneurship education via a second Norfolk site. Reported outcomes have scaled from 29 startups raising $16M+ to 50+ startups collectively raising $25M+ in capital.
The Combine does not generate independent commercial revenue. It is funded through sponsor contributions and parent-organization support, charges no publicly disclosed program fees, and operates with a small core team (Director, Investment Manager, Ecosystem Manager, Program Director, Program Manager) led under Invest Nebraska CEO Dan Hoffman. Its primary "customers" are AgTech startup founders rather than revenue buyers, and its commercial value lies in ecosystem curation and capital-readiness preparation rather than product sales.
The Combine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Combine
- Legal name
- The Combine
- Website
- https://nebraskacombine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Combine is Nebraska's AgTech startup incubator, operated by Invest Nebraska, providing mentorship, eight-module curriculum, workspace, and a farmer Insights Network to agri-food entrepreneurs across the state.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Combine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AgTech Startup Incubator Services
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where The Combine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lincoln
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Combine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Incubator Services: The Combine provides AgTech incubator services including mentorship, commercialization support, physical incubation space, and network access to farmers and ranchers. Revenue appears to come from sponsor funding, partnerships, and possibly program fees.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
The Combine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Combine is a statewide AgTech startup incubator that supports high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through structured mentorship, commercialization support, and physical incubation space on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. Startups progress through eight curriculum modules covering goal setting, idea assessment, and capital raise preparation, while accessing the Insights Network—a dedicated community of farmers and ranchers—for real-world product validation. The incubator operates multiple engagement levels, including Incubator Resident (formal programming), Incubator Alumni (graduated), and Startup-In-Residence (coworking without formal programming).
Product overview
The Combine is Nebraska's AgTech startup incubator, operated by Invest Nebraska, offering a platform combining mentorship, physical workspace, and a farmer network to support agricultural technology entrepreneurs. The core offering is the incubator program featuring eight curriculum modules, access to the Insights Network of ag producers, and physical incubation space at Nebraska Innovation Campus. Annual events like AgTech Connect provide networking opportunities, while the Insights Network connects startups with farmers for product validation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AgTech Incubator Program A statewide incubator program supporting high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through mentoring, commercialization support, physical incubation space at Nebraska Innovation Campus, and access to a network of partnering farmers and ranchers in Nebraska.
- Insights Network A dedicated network of agricultural producers across Nebraska that provides startups with access to real-world farming operations for product validation, testing, and feedback on AgTech innovations.
- AgTech Connect Conference An annual conference organized by The Combine that brings together AgTech founders, investors, producers, and industry partners for live demonstrations and networking in the Nebraska agtech ecosystem.
- Curriculum Modules Eight modular program components covering goal setting, idea assessment, capital raise preparation, and individualized entrepreneur support delivered on a rolling basis to incubator residents.
- Incubation Space Private office suites and hot desk memberships located on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska, available to resident AgTech startups in the incubator program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Helped 50+ companies raise over $25 million in capital
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Combine
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Combine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
The Combine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Valley Irrigation (Valmont Industries)coreValley Irrigation, a precision irrigation leader by Valmont Industries, became a sponsor of The Combine's AgTech Incubator Program. The partnership supports startups in the incubator and creates valuable connections for irrigation industry entrepreneurs. Valley brings industry experience and market access to the startup community.
- Central Valley AgcoreCentral Valley Ag (CVA) is a farmer-owned cooperative and sponsor of The Combine. As one of the strongest cooperatives in the Midwest, CVA provides experience, innovation, and resources aligned with The Combine's goals of supporting AgTech startups. CVA operates across Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska.
- Ag4UPcoreAg4UP is a statewide sponsor of The Combine. The company provides strategic consulting for investment and capital in the agribusiness market, with a mission to assist businesses in navigating the agricultural industry. Ag4UP helped Grain Weevil attend Agrishow in Brazil as part of internationalization support.
- Lincoln Partnership for Economic DevelopmentcoreLPED is a public-private collaboration charged with fulfilling Lincoln's Economic Development goals. As a Statewide Sponsor of The Combine, LPED supports the AgTech startup ecosystem in Lincoln, Nebraska. LPED also runs the LaunchLNK grant program providing $25,000 grants to early-stage startups.
- University of NebraskacoreThe University of Nebraska supports The Combine through its Innovation Campus where the incubator is located. UNL contributes research capabilities, student talent, and agricultural expertise to the ecosystem.
- Spur VenturescoreSpur Ventures and The Combine jointly released the 2026 Nebraska AgTech Innovation Map documenting approximately 45 startups and 60 supporting organizations in the state's agtech ecosystem.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Combine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Plug and Play AgTech: Plug and Play runs a dedicated AgTech vertical accelerator with corporate partners and pilot access for startups, directly comparable to The Combine's sponsor-driven, ag-vertical incubator model.
- SVG Ventures (THRIVE AgTech): THRIVE by SVG Ventures is an AgTech-focused accelerator and venture firm connecting startups with corporate agrifood partners — closely aligned with The Combine's mandate of connecting AgTech founders to industry sponsors and producers.
- gener8tor: gener8tor runs Midwest-based accelerator programs (including in agriculture-adjacent verticals) and is a direct regional peer given The Combine's Nebraska focus and similar fund/micro-VC structure.
- AgLaunch: AgLaunch operates a farmer-network-driven AgTech accelerator in the Mid-South, very similar to The Combine's Insights Network concept of using producer networks for product validation and pilot deployment.
- Yield Lab: Yield Lab is a global AgTech accelerator and early-stage investor with regional programs in the US, Europe, and Latin America — directly comparable as a venture-style AgTech accelerator targeting early-stage founders.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator network with structured mentor-driven programs. The Combine operates a similar cohort-style model on a smaller, ag-vertical scale, making Techstars a useful structural benchmark.
Regional players
- Iowa Startup Accelerator: Operates a Midwest accelerator program with corporate and community sponsorship in a neighboring state. Comparable in regional positioning, scale, and sponsor-driven operating model to The Combine.
- BioSTL / BioGenerator: St. Louis-based AgTech and bio-focused incubator/seed investor that combines a regional sponsor base with venture funding. Comparable as a Midwestern ag-adjacent ecosystem builder competing for the same founder pool.
Emerging players
- IndieBio: IndieBio runs intensive, cohort-based biotech and ag-biotech accelerator programs. The Combine is comparable in cohort structure and early-stage orientation, though IndieBio is heavier on biology and more geographically distributed.
Others
- Invest Nebraska: The Combine's parent organization. While not a peer, Invest Nebraska's broader venture development mandate, sponsor relationships, and capital programs make it the most directly comparable ecosystem-builder in Nebraska.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Combine social profiles
Digital presenceThe Combine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Combine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
The Combine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Combine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Combine
What does The Combine do?
The Combine is a statewide AgTech startup incubator that supports high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through structured mentorship, commercialization support, and physical incubation space on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. Startups progress through eight curriculum modules covering goal setting, idea assessment, and capital raise preparation, while accessing the Insights Network—a dedicated community of farmers and ranchers—for real-world product validation. The incubator operates multiple engagement levels, including Incubator Resident (formal programming), Incubator Alumni (graduated), and Startup-In-Residence (coworking without formal programming).
Is The Combine a public or private company?
The Combine is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Combine founded?
The Combine was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Combine based?
The Combine is headquartered in Lincoln, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Combine make money?
One revenue line is on record: incubator Services.
Who are The Combine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Plug and Play AgTech, SVG Ventures (THRIVE AgTech), gener8tor, AgLaunch and Yield Lab. Techstars is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Iowa Startup Accelerator and BioSTL / BioGenerator. IndieBio is listed as an emerging player. Invest Nebraska is listed as an others.
Does The Combine have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Combine.
What industry is The Combine in?
The Combine's product category is AgTech Startup Incubator Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8742.