Economic Leaders Unveil Partnership with Nebraska Innovation Campus, NUtech Ventures and UNL Industry Relations
May 8, 2017 (LINCOLN, NEB.) – This week, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC), NUtech Ventures, Invest Nebraska, UNL Industry Relations, and Nebraska Innovation Campus announced efforts to connect business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the state with economic development resources. On Wednesday, May 10, staff from DED, NBDC, and Invest Nebraska will begin holding weekly office hours on the Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC). Established in 2011, NIC was designed to facilitate partnerships between the University of Nebraska and private sector businesses.
“Our staff and research teams working with the University of Nebraska appreciate the opportunity to host our economic partners on the Nebraska Innovation Campus,” said NIC Executive Director Dan Duncan. “This partnership is an extension of NIC’s efforts to foster Nebraska’s growing culture of entrepreneurs. The collaboration will allow DED, NBDC, and Invest Nebraska another outlet to provide valuable services within Nebraska’s business community.”
Partners involved in the project look forward to identifying specific economic development tools to assist Nebraska’s diverse group of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
“NBDC will focus on technology commercialization services that include Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR and STTR) and market and export research,” said NBDC State Director Catherine Lang. “We understand that direct and coordinated collaboration with DED, NIC, NUTech Ventures, UNL Industry Relations, and Invest Nebraska will strengthen the support we all strive to provide to entrepreneurs and business owners. By joining together and combining efforts, we can strengthen our services to develop innovation in Nebraska.”
"We look forward to partnering with NBDC, NDED and Invest Nebraska to further support our innovation ecosystem; as well as providing valuable support to UNL faculty, staff and student companies,” said NUtech Ventures’ Brad Roth.
Providing a diverse range of services in one location will allow Nebraskans to tailor their economic partnerships on a case-by-case basis.
“Entrepreneurs who are looking to grow their businesses and opportunities, in both urban and rural areas, often appreciate direct and early guidance from economic partners,” said Dan Curran, Director of DED’s Business Development Team. “Providing this information in one location can assist in a seamless transition to additional growth in Nebraska.”
Weekly office hours will include presence from each of the project’s partners and are listed below:
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
2021 Transformation Drive, 2nd Floor Commons Area
For more information about specific services offered during upcoming business office hours, please contact Joe Fox, DED Business Innovation Manager, at 402-471-8604 or joe.fox@nebraska.gov.
Media Contact Kate Ellingson at 1-800-426-6505, 1-402-471-3749 or email kate.ellingson@nebraska.gov