2021 LaunchLNK Winners

Life on the Silicon Prairie remains vibrant with a bright future ahead. There is no shortage of big ideas in our startup community as entrepreneurship continues to thrive. The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED) is happy to announce the five recipients of this year’s LaunchLNK grant awards.

LaunchLNK provides qualifying startups with a $25,000 grant, connections to mentors and potential corporate partners and professional services from companies such as HBE, Cline Williams, Suiter Swantz, Eakes Office Solutions, and Firespring.

“We were very impressed by the strength of the applicant pool this year, which reflects all of the work being done to build the startup ecosystem across Lincoln,” said Christina Oldfather, LPED director of innovation and entrepreneurship. “We are excited to work with this talented group of founders to help them grow their companies.”

Startup companies that receive an award through the LaunchLNK program have the potential to leverage other Nebraska based programs and funds, such as the grant and investment programs offered through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and Invest Nebraska. In addition to gaining outside sources of capital, the awarded startup companies will also participate in Fluent Studio’s virtual accelerator program. Here are this year’s LaunchLNK recipients:

  • Corral Technologies, founded by Jack Keating, uses hardware and software to create a virtual fencing system, allowing ranchers to move, track and record data on their cattle to increase pasture utilization, decrease rent costs and save them countless hours of backbreaking work. The app will help manage the work that must be done to run a ranch profitably.
  • Sub Guru, co-founded by Sarah Rasby and Andra Rasby, is a customizable management app that automates the entire instructor substitution process for fitness studios, providing clients with a reliable solution and eliminating the need to find substitute instructors for classes. Sub Guru saves owners time, money, and stress.
  • Oculi Data, LLC, owned by Dr. Teresa Anderson, offers an easy-to-use web-based SaaS data portal for nurses and healthcare executives to compare clinical outcomes to other facilities to improve patient care and achieve the best of class nursing and clinical excellence. With a single competitor offering this unique service, Oculi has an opportunity to significantly disrupt the current market while supporting healthcare facilities to achieve data entry efficiency and significantly reduce costs.
  • Job Share Connect, co-founded by Jessica Charlsen and Jina Hwang Picarella, Ph.D., standardizes the job share sourcing, matching, and on-boarding process for companies looking to recruit and retain top talent. This platform is the first of its kind in the United States. Job share partners share the role, responsibilities, hours, and compensation for one full-time position.
  • Iron Sun, founded by Natalie Gunther, provides virtual assistants that can come alongside working moms to free up their time so they can invest that time in themselves, their family and their career. Iron Sun helps with meal planning, gift planning, calling and scheduling appointments, and much more. Iron Sun wants to help working moms get more time back to enjoy evenings at home with their families.

Congratulations to our LaunchLNK recipients! We are excited to help you grow and expand your companies here in Lincoln.