Beyond slacktivism: Samaritan and the rise of app-tivism
By Tom McCauley	/ August 16, 2021
"Walk with, not by." So goes motto for Samaritan, a mobile app that helps users fight homelessness through direct, case-managed giving. It's a slogan that rejects slacktivism for what could be called "app-tivism"—the use of consumer apps to generate meaningful social action. More than just sharing news of a cause or signaling one's ethos with…
Infotec 2021 virtual conference to feature keynote speaker Mike Smith, co-executive director of Rabble Mill
By SPN Newsroom	/ May 14, 2021
Life as a tech professional can be hard. Not at Infotec 2021, conference organizers say, previewing a robust virtual digital event experience aimed at helping attendees grow professionally while connecting with other IT and web professionals in the heartland. After successfully hosting Infotec 2020 in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AIM…
Sioux Falls B2B software integration developer Prismatic launches today
By Matthew Robbins Case	/ March 30, 2021
A Sioux Falls-based embedded integration platform developer for B2B software companies announced its general availability launch today. The company, Prismatic, strives to provide an easy-to-use integration platform in an era of increasingly specialized business software usage. A few years ago, Prismatic CEO and co-founder Michael Zuercher noticed a need for B2B software companies to have…
Free three-day virtual summit to be held by gener8tor
By SPN Newsroom	/ March 26, 2021
The 2021 gener8tor CommUNITY Growth Summit will be held virtually from March 30 to April 1 and features keynote speakers, fireside chats and panel discussions involving representatives from startups, the arts and workforce development. The event will be hosted by gener8tor, a Silicon Prairie-based entrepreneurship cultivation platform that includes startup accelerators, corporate programming and conferences. …
HTI Labs fights human trafficking through research, technology, policy
By Tom McCauley	/ January 6, 2021
An Omaha-based company using a data-driven approach to combat human trafficking recently raised funding to expand its crucially needed work to support law enforcement, victims and survivors of the practice. HTI Labs, a social enterprise corporation combating human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault through data-driven research and tech, has grown far larger than CEO…
Is it over yet? A look back at 2020
By SPN Newsroom	/ December 18, 2020
We have yet to meet anyone who wishes this year would last longer. From COVID-19 to civil unrest to political and economic turmoil, 2020 brought us a number of challenges and tragedies beyond the scope of this article. If there's a silver lining, it's that December is almost over. So while it might seem premature…
IO2020: the New Innovators' Summit connects entrepreneurial community (and tickets are free this year)
By SPN Newsroom	/ October 15, 2020
Great ideas start with curiosity. Bringing those ideas to life is its own challenge. That's what longtime entrepreneur Brian Ardinger believes, and that's why he's made it his mission to help Nebraska startup founders, business leaders and innovators solve those challenges. Ardinger is cofounder of InsideOutside.io, an innovation-focused resource network for startups, entrepreneurs, investors, enterprises,…
Developing Leadership When Things Are Not Good
By Tom McCauley	/ April 23, 2020
Originally posted on the AIM Institute blog No one knows how the coronavirus pandemic will evolve, how long the economy will stay underwater, or even what recovery looks like. But the radical workplace upheaval and sudden ad hoc shift to remote technology over the past month suggest two truths: We need more tech talent. We…
Hybrid85 passes profits onto farmers
By Henry Nunn	/ March 4, 2020
At the very top of the Nebraska State Capitol building stands a 32-foot tall bronze statue of the Sower, a figure representing agriculture's vital role in the development of modern civilization. Maybe it wasn't the best fit for the state license plate, but the Sower is an undeniable symbol of Nebraska. According to the Nebraska…
By Tom Chapman	/ December 17, 2019
The Silicon Prairie had an excellent week as deals appear to be closing before the holiday rush. St. Louis and Minneapolis had strong weeks. And we had a big round in Oklahoma. The Zero Card of Tulsa which provides an interesting software solution to healthcare costs received significant outside funding – including participation from the…