10 VCs and angel groups pushing Nebraska startups in 2026

Nebraska raised $412M across 37 deals in 2025. Most capital went to insurance tech and fintech. Omaha has serious money but conservative investment standards - you need revenue and a realistic path to profitability. Lincoln has university spinouts and ag tech. You won't find many investors willing to fund pre-revenue consumer apps here.

Quick list

Why Nebraska works for capital-efficient fundraising

Nebraska has 6-8 active institutional investors and another 15+ angel groups. Average seed round is $600K-$1.2M. Series A rounds typically hit $2-5M. That's smaller than coastal rounds but your engineering salaries will be 50% less than San Francisco.

The ecosystem heavily favors fintech, insurance tech, and B2B SaaS. Omaha is the insurance capital of America - Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, and Union Pacific are all headquartered here. If you're building for financial services or logistics, you'll get warm intros to enterprise buyers.

Lincoln has University of Nebraska connections and stronger ag tech presence. You'll find follow-on capital limited - most Nebraska Series B companies bring in Kansas City, Chicago, or Minneapolis lead investors. The state has tax incentives that make Nebraska funds attractive co-investors for out-of-state leads.

Picking the right Nebraska investor for your company

Local presence: Omaha investors expect quarterly in-person board meetings. Lincoln investors are slightly more flexible with remote updates. If you're based in rural Nebraska, be prepared to drive to Omaha or Lincoln regularly.

Portfolio companies: Look for investors with 5+ Nebraska portfolio companies minimum. Many Midwest funds have one Nebraska deal as a favor but don't actively source here. Check if their Nebraska companies are still active or quietly shut down.

Check sizes: Seed rounds are $400K-$1.2M. Series A is $2-5M. Above $8M you need out-of-state lead investors. Nebraska funds rarely write individual checks over $1.5M. Expect syndication with 3-4 local investors plus one out-of-state fund for larger rounds.

Industry alignment: Insurance tech and fintech get funded fastest. Enterprise software with Fortune 500 customers works well. Ag tech gets attention in Lincoln. Consumer plays won't get meetings unless you're doing $75K+ MRR with strong unit economics.

Communication: Upload your deck to Ellty and send trackable links to Nebraska investors. They take 3-4 weeks to make initial decisions. You'll see which partners actually reviewed your materials versus which ones are just being polite in email responses.

Follow-on capacity: Most Nebraska funds can't lead your Series B. Ask directly about their reserve allocations and relationships with Kansas City or Chicago funds. You'll need those connections in 18-24 months when you outgrow local capital.

How to find and approach Nebraska investors effectively

Research local deals: Read the Omaha World-Herald business section and Lincoln Journal Star coverage. Every significant Nebraska deal gets press. Note which investors co-invest together - those syndicates repeat across multiple deals.

Leverage local ecosystem: Start with AIM Institute in Omaha or Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. They maintain direct relationships with every active investor. University of Nebraska's NUtech Ventures connects faculty and student startups to capital regularly.

Build relationships first: Nebraska investors ignore cold LinkedIn messages. Get warm intros through portfolio founders or the local accelerator directors. Plan on 2-3 informal meetings before you formally pitch. That's just how business works in the Midwest.

Share your pitch deck: Create unique Ellty links for each Nebraska investor. You'll see exactly which slides they study and how long they spend on your financial projections. Nebraska investors skip the vision slides but drill deep into customer acquisition costs, retention rates, and gross margins.

Attend local events: Omaha Startup Week brings together all the active investors in one place. Nebraska Angels hosts monthly pitch events. Silicon Prairie News events are where you meet decision-makers, not the university pitch competitions. Big Omaha conference attracts some Chicago and Kansas City investors too.

Connect with portfolio founders: Talk to founders at Mastercraft in Omaha or The Mill in Lincoln. They'll tell you which investors actually respond within a week versus which ones go silent after initial meetings. Nebraska's startup community is small enough that everyone knows everyone.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room before your first formal pitch meeting. Nebraska investors move methodically but not slowly. Have your cap table, 3-year financial model, customer references, and key contracts ready. They will verify everything you claim.

Understand local pace: Expect 10-14 weeks from first meeting to signed term sheet. Nebraska investors don't have weekly investment committee meetings like coastal VCs. Many funds have monthly or quarterly approval processes. Ask about timeline expectations upfront and don't push for faster decisions.

Nebraska-specific considerations you should know

Nebraska investors strongly prefer B2B over consumer. Insurance tech gets disproportionate attention because of Omaha's insurance industry concentration. Fintech works if you've got bank partnerships or clear regulatory strategy. Ag tech plays better in Lincoln than Omaha.

Most Nebraska rounds above $3M include out-of-state lead investors. That's not a weakness - it's how you access Series B capital later. Local investors understand this dynamic and actively help with Kansas City and Chicago introductions. The state offers angel tax credits that make Nebraska investors attractive co-investors.

Competition is minimal compared to coastal markets. Maybe 30-35 startups per year raise institutional rounds in Nebraska. If your company fits the local investor thesis, you'll get meetings. If it doesn't, you won't waste months on polite passes.

10 top investors in Nebraska

1. Nebraska Angels

Most active angel group in the state with 60+ members and a track record that includes Hudl and Flywheel.

• Recent Deals: Flywheel (early rounds, acquired by WP Engine), multiple Omaha fintech companies (2024-2025), insurance tech seed rounds
• LinkedIn: Nebraska Angels LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: fintech, insurance tech, B2B SaaS, healthcare IT
• Stage Focus: seed, angel
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: nebraskaangels.com

2. Prairie Capital

Omaha-based fund that actually understands Midwest business models and doesn't force Silicon Valley growth expectations.

• Recent Deals: Grain Discovery ($3.8M Series A, 2023), multiple ag tech investments (2024-2025), Nebraska software companies
• LinkedIn: Prairie Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: ag tech, B2B SaaS, enterprise software, supply chain
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: prairiecapvc.com

3. Nelnet

Lincoln-based company with venture arm that backed Hudl and other Nebraska success stories.

• Recent Deals: Hudl (growth rounds), multiple Lincoln edtech companies (2024-2025), education software investments
• LinkedIn: Jeffrey Noordhoek LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: education technology, fintech, student services, B2B SaaS
• Stage Focus: Series A, growth, expansion
• Office Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
• Website: nelnet.com

4. Dundee Venture Capital

They've invested in 20+ Nebraska companies and provide real operational support instead of just writing checks.

• Recent Deals: Multiple AIM Institute portfolio companies (2023-2025), Omaha software startups, insurance tech investments
• LinkedIn: Dundee Venture Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: insurance tech, fintech, B2B SaaS, enterprise software
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: dundeevc.com

5. Invest Nebraska

State-backed initiative that connects startups to capital and provides matching funds for qualified deals.

• Recent Deals: Buildertrend (expansion rounds), multiple Nebraska software companies (2024-2025), co-investments across sectors
• LinkedIn: Invest Nebraska LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: sector agnostic, preference for scalable B2B
• Stage Focus: seed, early growth
• Office Location: Statewide network, Nebraska
• Website: investnebraska.com

6. Lincoln Angel Network

Active Lincoln group that writes $25K-$200K checks and has backed multiple exits including Hudl.

• Recent Deals: Hudl (early rounds), Firespring (seed), multiple Lincoln software companies (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Lincoln Angel Network LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: software, ag tech, education technology, healthcare IT
• Stage Focus: seed, angel
• Office Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
• Website: lincolnangelnetwork.com

7. Mid-America Angels

Omaha angel group with insurance and financial services expertise that's funded 12+ Nebraska startups.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Omaha insurance tech companies (2023-2025), fintech seed rounds, B2B SaaS investments
• LinkedIn: Mid-America Angels LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: insurance tech, fintech, B2B SaaS, financial services
• Stage Focus: seed, angel, early stage
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: midamericaangels.com

8. Bluestem Capital

Connected to some of Nebraska's biggest exits and writes larger checks than most local funds.

• Recent Deals: PayIt (participated in $100M+ rounds), multiple Omaha govtech and fintech companies (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Bluestem Capital LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: govtech, fintech, insurance tech, B2B SaaS
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: bluestemcap.com

9. University of Nebraska Technology Development Corporation

Commercializes university research and connects faculty inventors to investors and industry partners.

• Recent Deals: 30+ university spinout companies (2023-2025), ag tech commercialization, biotech investments
• LinkedIn: NUtech Ventures LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: university spinouts, ag tech, biosciences, advanced materials
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
• Website: nutechventures.org

10. Silicon Prairie Ventures

Omaha fund focused on software companies with revenue and reasonable valuations instead of hype.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Omaha fintech companies (2024-2025), insurance tech investments, B2B SaaS seed rounds
• LinkedIn: Silicon Prairie Ventures LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: fintech, insurance tech, B2B SaaS, enterprise software
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: Omaha, Nebraska
• Website: siliconprairievc.com

Start tracking your Nebraska investor outreach

These 10 investors closed Nebraska deals in 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out to Omaha or Lincoln funds, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each Nebraska investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your financials. Nebraska-based founders often find local investors skip market size projections but focus intensely on customer economics, sales cycles, and team execution experience.

When Nebraska investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of scattered email attachments. Your cap table, financial model, customer contracts, and references in one secure place with view analytics.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in Nebraska to raise from Nebraska investors?

Yes, almost always. Nebraska funds invest in Nebraska companies. A few will consider Iowa or South Dakota startups if there's a strong connection. Don't pitch Nebraska investors if you're based on either coast.

How does Nebraska compare to Kansas City or Minneapolis for fundraising?

Nebraska has less total capital but also way less competition. Kansas City writes bigger checks and moves faster. Minneapolis has more late-stage capital. Most Nebraska Series B companies raise from Kansas City or Chicago funds.

What's the average seed round size in Nebraska?

$600K-$1.2M. You might hit $1.5M if you get multiple angel groups plus an institutional investor. Anything above $2M requires an out-of-state co-investor or lead.

Should I raise locally or go straight to Kansas City?

If you're pre-revenue or under $30K MRR, raise locally. Kansas City funds won't take your meetings yet. Once you're doing $50K+ MRR with good unit economics, you can add Kansas City investors to your Series A round.

Do Nebraska investors expect in-person meetings?

Absolutely. Plan on driving to Omaha or Lincoln for initial meetings, pitch presentations, and quarterly board meetings. Remote-only relationships don't work in Nebraska's business culture.

What industries get funded most in Nebraska?

Insurance tech is number one because of Omaha's insurance industry concentration. Fintech is second. B2B SaaS with enterprise customers is third. Ag tech works better in Lincoln than Omaha. Consumer apps rarely get funded unless you've got strong revenue.

How long does fundraising take in Nebraska?

10-14 weeks from first meeting to signed term sheet. Add another 4-6 weeks for legal documentation. Plan on 4-5 months total if you're starting without warm introductions to investors.