Firespring Merges IT Business With Bluestem Fiber

Firespring (www.firespring.com) has merged its managed IT services business with Bluestem Fiber, a Lincoln-based startup that provides high-speed fiber internet service. The resulting business will be called Bluestem IT, a division of Bluestem Fiber. The transaction also makes Firespring one of the primary shareholders in Bluestem Fiber along with founders Greg Dynek and Aaron Whyrick.

Bluestem Fiber provides gigabit broadband Internet connectivity via fiber and wireless to residential and business customers in eastern Nebraska communities. The company has experienced rapid growth since its inception in 2015. Wilkinson and Dynek have known each other for many years after having met through the Nebraska Angels investors group. Bluestem Fiber’s interest in pursuing the benefit corporation model to build a purpose-driven connectivity company sparked the idea of a combination. Wilkinson will work with Bluestem on company culture initiatives and will assist the company in pursuing benefit corporation status. Firespring was the first such company in Nebraska. Among other things, Nebraska benefit corporations must demonstrate that the purpose of the corporation creates general public benefit and must prepare and publish an annual benefit report detailing its social impact.

Bluestem IT will provide managed IT services for existing clients of Bluestem and Firespring as well as new clients throughout the Midwest. All employees of both companies will be retained and more positions will be added in the near future. Jeff Murphy, former vice president of Firespring Cloud IT, will lead Bluestem IT.