Nebraska Startup Academy: Nebraska Startup Academy

ID

75

OrgName

Nebraska Startup Academy

PhysicalAddress

2401 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111

MailingAddress

Website

SocialMediaAccounts

Name

Charlie Cuddy

Title

Executive Director

EmailAddress

charliecuddy4@gmail.com

Phone

+1 (402) 309-0853

Team

Yes

TeamExplanation

See Attached: Nebraska Startup Academy Organizational Structure.pdf

OrganizationalChart

See Attached: Nebraska Startup Academy Organizational Structure.pdf

OtherCompletedProjects

This is a new organization that will support founders and generate more company and job creation in Omaha. Our team has a decade of education experience in South Omaha and building a replicable curriculum in Silicon Valley to build and scale companies here. Additionally, the team has built multiple startups in Nebraska, raised several rounds of funding, and has the expertise to mentor and guide the next generation of builders.

ProposalTitle

Nebraska Startup Academy

TotalBudget

1200000.0

LB1024GrantFundingRequest

1200000.0

ProposalType

Service/program

BriefProposalSummary

The Nebraska Startup Academy’s mission is to educate, support, and connect founders, investors, and corporations to stimulate Nebraska’s startup ecosystem and further secure technical talent maturation. The Academy will create startups generating more technical jobs via a multi-disciplinary curriculum, founder support, and ecosystem-stimulating events. The Nebraska Startup Academy has agreements to collaborate with existing organizations in Nebraska.

Timeline

Year 1: Startup, founder, & business education through curriculum, events, and mentoring. Offer prototype grant support and hold specific events for underrepresented and military founders Courses will consist of: ○ Foundational Founder Knowledge ○ Building MVP, Business Models, and a Team ○ Understanding Financials ○ Go to Market Strategies and Acquiring Customers ○ Fundraising Best Practices Year 2: Support & leverage our community affiliates to expand reach to underrepresented individuals. ○ Expand on our Incubator Accelerator program ○ Host Pitch competitions ○ Host “VC office hours” in North & South Omaha Year 3: Launch a technical assistance program ○ Establish entrepreneurial co-working spaces ○ Create and support programs/businesses to offer technical assistance ○ Angel investing educational program ○ Startup and business education course ○ Startup and business promotion, collaboration, and communication

PercentageCompletedByJuly2025

1.0

FundingGoals

Fundamental Change (i.e., a proposal that will continue to elevate North or South Omaha's presence and perception within the region, significantly improving the lives of area residents through physical development) Long-Lasting Economic Growth (i.e., a proposal that will foster gainful employment opportunities and financial investment in the area, leading to the creation of generational wealth and widespread economic vitality in North and South Omaha) Transformational (i.e., a proposal that will help energize, recharge, or spur significant and favorable advancements in North or South Omaha's function or appearance)

Community Needs

Other Policy (i.e., develop or improve context-sensitive education, finance, health, training, zoning, etc.) Sustainable Community (i.e., create or enhance housing, services, education, civic uses, recreation, etc.)

OtherExplanation

We will offer funding support of new startups and job creation in technical fields through partnerships with local affiliates and venture funds

ProposalDescriptionAndNeedsAlignment

Sustainable Community - With the Academy initially positioned in one of the Qualified Census Tracts (and the ability to scale to other QCTs) our educational programs will be curated to best meet the immediate needs of the community when it comes to creating new businesses and jobs. We will guide an individual from their initial idea for a startup to a product, and several will eventually scale into a true company creating many new jobs. Policy - Our curriculum will focus on foundational founder knowledge, how to build an initial MVP, requirements in a business model, and what to look for when hiring a team. We will help founders better understand their financials, go-to-market strategies, and strategies for acquiring customers. One of the most powerful programs will focus on what it takes to fundraise in Nebraska. Learning how to apply for grants, raise private equity, and work with banks to fund your idea will create transformation and long-lasting economic growth. Other - Our partnership with MOVE Venture Capital will give these underrepresented founders access to capital opportunities that have traditionally been challenging to acquire for founders in North and South Omaha.

VisioningWorkshopFindingsAlignment

The Nebraska Startup Academy directly addresses multiple gaps within the Sustainable Community Needs and Policy Needs. The Academy’s main focus is to level up Nebraska entrepreneurship by directly educating our communities on the general business requirements needed to create a startup, and how to scale a technology business thus creating more jobs in the area. Our programs will range from current founders and eventually to our youth.

PrioritiesAlignment

The Academy will create a fundamental change in the way Nebraskans (specifically those located in North and South Omaha) think about long-lasting economic growth through the creation of scalable new businesses with higher-paying jobs. This transformational shift can be easily scaled and replicated in different areas of the city.

EconomicImpact

We anticipate the Academy will directly help create and support ~60 new startups in the next three years. Startups at this stage, within three years typically bring on five-twenty new jobs. We conservatively anticipate 300+ full time jobs (many technical) within the first three years. These jobs typically start in the $55,000-$70,000 range with the opportunity to grow into much higher paying jobs.

EconomicImpactPermanentJobsCreated

300+ new jobs within three years

EconomicImpactTemporaryJobsCreated

50+ interns and contractors within three years

EconomicImpactWageLevels

$55,000-70,000

EconomicImpactAlignProposedJobs

The academy will help upskill individuals to fill immediate needs by partnering with local affiliates and bringing curriculum to the Qualified Census Tracts.

CommunityBenefit

The Academy will provide educational opportunities for individuals to create their own businesses with a focus on technology as well as upskill individuals to be able to apply for tech-focused jobs. More technology-based jobs, with their higher income, has an opportunity to improve local neighborhoods and the economic support for the community Proximity to education, skills, and opportunities will provide those currently living in the local neighborhood new opportunities that don’t currently exist today

CommunityBenefitSustainability

New companies in the community will create new jobs and attract talent from other parts of the city to commute to North and South Omaha driving additional economic growth.

BestPracticesInnovation

The Academy will be innovative in the way it works directly with the venture funds in Nebraska to assist founders in raising capital for their pre-seed and seed rounds at their startup – We will work with local affiliates to drive talent to local technical assistance companies – The Academy will educate on how to leverage existing grants

OutcomeMeasurement

Number of new companies created – Number of new high-wage, technology jobs created – Attendance at education sessions – Completion and implementation of curriculum – Diversity of individuals attending the academy

OutcomeMeasurementHow

We will track and report these metrics internally and publicly and directly share reports as needed

OutcomeMeasurementCoinvestment

Yes, as new startups scale there will be opportunities for those in the community to co-invest or take advantage of secondary investments – In year 3 the Academy will offer educational programs focused on private investment best practices

Partnerships

Yes

PartnershipsOrgs

Nebraska Tech Collaborative, CIO Committee, Omaha Chamber, Omaha 100, MOVE Venture Capital, Invest Nebraska, The Combine, NMotion, Husker & Maverick Venture Funds, The Startup Grind, Luminarium as well as several local affiliates (e.g. Apsky, Beeso, Code Black). They will all participate through expertise in the curriculum, sponsorship of events, mentorship, and affiliate alignment.

PartnershipsMOU

In progress.

Displacement

No

DisplacementExplanation

PhysicalLocation

2401 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111

QualifiedCensusTract

Within one or more QCTs

AdditionalLocationDocuments

Not applicable

PropertyZoning

Yes

ConnectedToUtilities

ConnectedToUtilitiesConnected

Yes

ConnectedToUtilitiesUpgradesNeeded

Yes

DesignEstimatingBidding

Yes

DesignEstimatingBiddingPackageDeveloped

No

DesignEstimatingBiddingCostsDetermined

Reuse existing infrastructure with increased compute, store, and network connectivity.

GeneralContractor

No

GeneralContractorPublicCompetitiveBid

GeneralContractorPublicCompetitiveBidWhyNot

RequestRationale

Reference AcademyBudget.pdf for education programs, technology upgrades, key hires, and additional academic provisions.

GrantFundsUsage

Reference AcademyBudget.pdf for education programs, technology upgrades, key hires, and additional academic provisions.

ProposalFinancialSustainability

Yes

ProposalFinancialSustainabilityOperations

The Academy will be operational after three years through participant fees, advertising, and private investment.

FundingSources

Seeking private industry investment.

FundingSourcesPendingDecisions

Private industry investment by end of 2022

FundingSourcesCannotContinue

No, The Academy will be self-sustained through private-sector investments after year three.

Scalability

Yes, it will be phased in and scaled over the initial three years (ultimately replicable to other QCTs)

ScalabilityComponents

The initial phase is for current or nascent founders. Years two and three will expand to educating those even younger, expanding to investors and additional business development programs.

FinancialCommitment

The organization will be operational by year-end with a $250,000 annual budget to be provided by private equity and philanthropic contributions.

ARPAComplianceAcknowledgment

1.0

ARPAReportingMonitoringProcessAck

1.0

LB1024FundingSourcesAck

1.0

PublicInformation

1.0

FileUploads

Organizational Chart Proposal Budget/Sources and Uses Request Rationale Documentation Schedule