Nebraska Startup Academy
Nebraska Startup Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Omaha providing free entrepreneur education, mentorship, and a physical incubator (The Grove) to early-stage founders, investors, and corporate partners across Nebraska and the Midwest.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersOmaha, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nebraska Startup Academy does
Nebraska Startup Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 and headquartered at 1111 N. 13th Street #119 in Omaha's Millwork Commons neighborhood, operating as a supporting organization of the Omaha Community Foundation. It provides entrepreneur education, mentorship, and community infrastructure to early-stage founders, investors, mentors, and corporate partners in Nebraska and the broader Midwest. Its core products are: (1) an Online Curriculum Platform (go.nestartupacademy.org) delivering structured modules on validation, customer discovery, team building, product development, fundraising, term sheets, and data rooms; (2) The Grove, a free milestone-driven physical incubator (6–12 month membership) at Millwork Commons with the inaugural cohort of 8 startups and 20+ on the waitlist; (3) Corporate Pitch Days and event programming (VC Office Hours, Scale Omaha — now operated under the 'Scale Omaha Powered by The Nebraska Startup Academy' brand, 160+ events hosted, 35+ Corporate Pitch Days); and (4) a Startup Shop e-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise.
Nebraska Startup Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nebraska Startup Academy
- Legal name
- Nebraska Startup Academy
- Website
- https://nestartupacademy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Nebraska Startup Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Omaha providing free entrepreneur education, mentorship, and a physical incubator (The Grove) to early-stage founders, investors, and corporate partners across Nebraska and the Midwest.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nebraska Startup Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubator and Entrepreneur Education
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
Keywords
Where Nebraska Startup Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Omaha
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nebraska Startup Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by the Omaha Community Foundation, Nebraska Startup Academy relies on donations from individuals and organizations to fund operations and programs.
- Merchandise Sales (Startup Shop): E-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($19.99), hoodies ($44.99), water bottles, and hats featuring logos of Nebraska startups and ecosystem organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Startup Shop merchandise - t-shirts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Startup Shop merchandise - hoodies and sweatshirts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Startup Shop merchandise - water bottles and accessories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Nebraska Startup Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nebraska Startup Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers entrepreneurial education, mentorship, and community programming to founders, investors, and the broader Nebraska/Midwest startup ecosystem. Its core services include a structured online curriculum covering validation, customer discovery, fundraising, and team building, plus The Grove, a free physical incubator and coworking space at Millwork Commons offering milestone-based membership for early-stage startups. The Academy also runs Corporate Pitch Days, VC Office Hours, Scale Omaha events, and operates the Startup Shop, an e-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise to support the non-profit.
Product overview
Nebraska Startup Academy is a nonprofit educational organization offering a multi-product portfolio for early-stage founders. Its core offerings include an Online Curriculum Platform (at go.nestartupacademy.org) delivering structured modules on fundraising, customer discovery, product development, and team building; The Grove, a free physical incubator and coworking space at Millwork Commons providing workspace, mentorship, and milestone-based membership for early-stage startups; the Startup Shop, an e-commerce store selling merchandise featuring ecosystem startup logos to support the nonprofit; and Corporate Pitch Days, facilitated events connecting startups with corporate partners. The Blog/News section publishes educational content on venture capital, fundraising strategy, and key startup metrics. The organization also partners with Scale Omaha to host monthly founder events under the 'Scale Omaha Powered by Nebraska Startup Academy' brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Grove Incubator A free physical incubator and coworking space at Millwork Commons in Omaha providing milestone-based membership (6–12 months), comprehensive startup curriculum, mentor-led sessions, and community programming for early-stage startup founders.
- Online Curriculum Platform A digital learning platform (go.nestartupacademy.org) delivering structured modules on startup validation, customer discovery, team building, product development, fundraising fundamentals, term sheets, and data rooms for early-stage founders.
- Startup Shop An e-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise (t-shirts at $19.99, hoodies at $44.99, water bottles at $25.99, hats at $19.99) featuring logos of Midwest startups, investors, and support organizations; proceeds support the non-profit.
- Corporate Pitch Days Recurring facilitated pitch events that connect Nebraska startups with corporate partners for strategic pilots, partnerships, and investment opportunities as part of the Academy's programming.
Quantifiable outcome
- 190+ newly incorporated Nebraska companies
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Nebraska Startup Academy
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Nebraska Startup Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Nebraska Startup Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Scale OmahacoreScale Omaha, a cornerstone of Nebraska's entrepreneurial community, entered a new chapter aligned with Nebraska Startup Academy. Moving forward, Scale Omaha is known as 'Scale Omaha Powered by The Nebraska Startup Academy.' Events now hosted at The Ashton in Millwork Commons, strengthening the unified effort in amplifying founder voices.
- The Combine (Invest Nebraska)coreStrategic partnership uniting Nebraska's agri-tech startup ecosystem. Integrates Nebraska Startup Academy's online platform with The Combine's ag-specific expertise, providing emerging agricultural entrepreneurs with streamlined access to resources, mentorship, and collaborative networks focused on advancing agri-tech in the state.
- Millwork CommonscoreThe Grove incubator space is located within Millwork Commons, a neighborhood designed to be a hub for Omaha's most innovative thinkers and doers. Millwork Commons hosts Scale Omaha events at The Ashton building and The Dock.
- Omaha Community FoundationflagshipNebraska Startup Academy is a non-profit and supporting organization of The Omaha Community Foundation, working to help further their mission to maximize the power of philanthropy to strengthen the community. This is the primary institutional relationship providing organizational support and alignment.
- MOVE Venture CapitalcoreMOVE Venture Capital collaborates with Nebraska Startup Academy on curriculum development (including 'Breaking Down a Term Sheet' module), ecosystem building, and the Midwest Madness tournament. Awarded jointly with Nebraska Startup Academy for the 2025 Community Champion Award.
- The Combine AgTech IncubatorcorePart of Invest Nebraska, The Combine Incubator provides physical incubation space on Nebraska's Innovation Campus, mentoring, commercialization support, and a network of helping farmers and ranchers. Collaborates with Nebraska Startup Academy for agri-tech startups.
- Modus CoworkingminorPrevious host venue for Scale Omaha events. Nebraska Startup Academy extended sincere thanks for their support and partnership over the years as Scale Omaha transitioned to Millwork Commons.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nebraska Startup Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- BioGenerator: St. Louis-based non-profit startup support organization and life-sciences incubator. Comparable as a regional non-profit founder-support organization in an adjacent Midwest market.
- T-REX (Technology, Resources, Education, eXchange): St. Louis-based non-profit innovation center offering coworking, incubator programs, and corporate partnerships. Comparable as a Midwestern non-profit innovation hub serving early-stage companies.
- AIM Institute: Omaha-area non-profit focused on tech talent development and workforce upskilling. Adjacent peer operating in the same Omaha/Midwest talent and innovation ecosystem as NSA.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Global accelerator operator with portfolio programs across the U.S. and internationally; referenced as a network partner of NSA. Comparable in delivering structured mentorship and demo days, but at far broader scale and geographic reach.
Direct peers
- Startup Junkie: Northwest Arkansas-based non-profit providing founder education, mentorship, and ecosystem programming. Highly comparable non-profit founder-support model in a smaller metro region.
- 1871: Chicago-based tech hub and non-profit incubator providing workspace, curriculum, corporate partnerships, and community programming for early-stage startups. Closely aligned mission and operating model to NSA, just at significantly larger scale.
- gener8tor: Wisconsin-based accelerator network running multi-city programs that support early-stage founders with mentorship and capital connections. Directly comparable as a Midwest-rooted, founder-support organization with similar mission and geography.
- Venture For America: Non-profit that trains and places recent graduates in startup roles in emerging U.S. cities, with a focus on second-tier markets. Directly comparable mission of building entrepreneurial capacity outside of coastal tech hubs.
- MassChallenge: Global non-profit startup accelerator offering equity-free programs for early-stage founders. Comparable non-profit accelerator model, though at much larger global scale.
- Invest Nebraska / The Combine: Nebraska-based state-affiliated investment and incubation organization that operates The Combine agtech incubator. Direct Nebraska peer and active strategic partner of Nebraska Startup Academy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nebraska Startup Academy social profiles
Digital presenceNebraska Startup Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nebraska Startup Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Nebraska Startup Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nebraska Startup Academy 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 Nebraska Startup Academy
What does Nebraska Startup Academy do?
Nebraska Startup Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers entrepreneurial education, mentorship, and community programming to founders, investors, and the broader Nebraska/Midwest startup ecosystem. Its core services include a structured online curriculum covering validation, customer discovery, fundraising, and team building, plus The Grove, a free physical incubator and coworking space at Millwork Commons offering milestone-based membership for early-stage startups. The Academy also runs Corporate Pitch Days, VC Office Hours, Scale Omaha events, and operates the Startup Shop, an e-commerce storefront selling branded merchandise to support the non-profit.
Is Nebraska Startup Academy a public or private company?
Nebraska Startup Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Nebraska Startup Academy founded?
Nebraska Startup Academy was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nebraska Startup Academy based?
Nebraska Startup Academy is headquartered in Omaha, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nebraska Startup Academy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales (Startup Shop).
Who are Nebraska Startup Academy's main competitors?
Regional players on record are BioGenerator, T-REX (Technology, Resources, Education, eXchange) and AIM Institute. Techstars is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Startup Junkie, 1871, gener8tor, Venture For America, MassChallenge and Invest Nebraska / The Combine.
Does Nebraska Startup Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nebraska Startup Academy.
What industry is Nebraska Startup Academy in?
Nebraska Startup Academy's product category is Startup Incubator and Entrepreneur Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAKAK, Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.