Funding, competitions, accelerators and training for Omaha-area entrepreneurs and small businesses.
TS Bank
Pitch Competitions
Applications are open for a regional pitch competition providing selected businesses with funding, visibility, feedback, and entrepreneurial connections.
Code Black Tech
Training & Development
Two four-week Saturday courses from Code Black Tech — Intro to AI Prompting (Sept. 12–Oct. 3) and Advanced AI Prompting (Oct. 17–Nov. 7), 10 a.m.–Noon. No coding, tech background, or experience required.
Nebraska Enterprise Fund
Events & Workshops
A free resource fair (Sept. 16, 3:00–5:00 PM) giving aspiring and existing entrepreneurs direct access to local professionals, business resources, expert advice, networking, and organizations that help businesses start or grow.
Nebraska Business Development Center / UNeMed
Training & Development
More than a seminar — participants receive educational content, one-on-one coaching and dedicated proposal-writing time for NIH SBIR/STTR startup funding. Upcoming sessions cover Specific Aims, budgets and tech transfer, a simulated review panel, and submission-platform preparation.
Midlands African Chamber
Events & Workshops
A free luncheon (Sept. 24, 11:30 AM–1:30 PM) connecting small, emerging, and underserved construction-related businesses with large general contractors, plus insight into bidding, compliance, contract management, funding, and contracting opportunities.
Mid-America Arts Alliance
Grants & Funding
Omaha artists and arts nonprofits can apply for grants of up to $15,000 to create and present new original work.
U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime
Grants & Funding
Federal funding to develop, expand, and strengthen services for victims of human trafficking, including health care, behavioral health, legal assistance, research, and coordinated community partnerships.
Hustle Conference — Heider College of Business, Creighton University
Events & Workshops
A one-day conference (Sept. 30) for entrepreneurs, innovators, and growth-stage owners — hands-on business tools, curated speed networking, and access to mentors, investors, and prospective customers, with speakers tied to Shazam, GitHub, and Liquid Death.
UNO Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Franchising + NMotion
Events & Workshops
A free, six-hour startup-building sprint: bring an idea and move it from concept toward an actual business with activities and networking. Food is provided.
AgeTech Collaborative from AARP
Pitch Competitions
A startup pitch competition for market-ready products serving older adults — $10,000 grand prize, a complimentary CES 2027 ticket for selected finalists, and potential invitation into the AgeTech Collaborative accelerator.
Midlands African Chamber
Pitch Competitions
A pitch competition for emerging for-profit Nebraska/Iowa businesses whose applicant or 51%+ of ownership meets BIPOC, immigrant, or refugee eligibility. Finalists compete June 12, 2027.
Open Range
Events & Workshops
One of the region's most important startup ecosystem events (Nov. 16–21), with programming on becoming a founder, raising capital, sales and marketing, innovation, ethical AI, and startup industries.
Pipeline
Accelerators & Fellowships
Applications are open for Pipeline's 2027 entrepreneurial fellowship — a peer network for founders past the idea stage whose alumni have generated $2.9 billion in revenue, raised $900 million in capital, and created more than 5,000 jobs.
National Science Foundation / University of Nebraska at Omaha
Training & Development
Free commercialization and customer-discovery training for technology-oriented researchers and entrepreneurs, plus $1,000 per team for customer interviews and invention development.
Nebraska Business Development Center
Training & Development
No-cost one-on-one business consulting covering business planning, financials, marketing, and access to capital.
