Open Range Published Book Featuring Nebraska Startups
The nonprofit profiled 40 companies to boost visibility for the state's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Startups
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Omaha-based nonprofit Open Range has released a new publication titled Open Book, which highlights 40 startups operating across nine Nebraska communities. The project, which involved interviews throughout the spring and summer of 2026, aims to increase the regional profile of local ventures.
Why it matters
By consolidating milestones and founder narratives from across the state, Open Range seeks to bridge visibility gaps between Nebraska's various entrepreneurial hubs. The publication serves as a formal directory for state policymakers and business leaders to track the current growth trajectory of local innovation.
The publication features 40 companies, with 40% of those ventures founded by repeat entrepreneurs. The effort includes original reporting from Silicon Prairie News, which contributed six articles to the project's documentation of startups in cities ranging from Omaha and Lincoln to Hemingford.
The players
Open Range
An Omaha-based nonprofit organization focused on increasing the visibility of the Nebraska startup ecosystem.
Silicon Prairie News
A media entity that tracks technology and startup growth across the Midwestern United States.
The details
Open Range gathered stories and technical milestones into a single physical volume to provide a comprehensive look at the state's startup composition. The process involved direct interviews conducted over several months in 2026 to distill the operational progress of firms in geographically diverse areas like Roca, Kearney, and Oxford. Silicon Prairie News served as a contributor, providing six specific articles to bolster the publication's reach and analytical depth.
Timeline
Interviews for the project occurred during the spring and summer of 2026.
Open Range hosted a book celebration event on October 5, 2026.
Startup Week is scheduled to take place in November 2026.
A promotional campaign for featured founders will occur throughout 2027.
The Tech Race
This compilation functions as a centralized research registry designed to aggregate the state's competitive footprint ahead of the 2026 Nebraska Startup Week programming. It marks a shift toward formalizing regional startup networking through physical media, contrasting with more fragmented, digital-only ecosystem mapping efforts.
Copies of the publication will be distributed to state senators, business leaders, and community partners to influence local policy and investment discussions. Nebraska residents interested in the local tech sector can access the digital edition of the book via the primary resource link.
The takeaway
The publication provides a snapshot of the current Nebraska startup landscape to guide future ecosystem growth. Readers can track the development of these 40 firms by following the upcoming 2027 promotional campaign or attending the November 2026 Startup Week events.
What happens next
Featured founders plan to participate in Startup Week in November 2026, followed by a promotional campaign for these companies scheduled for 2027.
Further reading
For broader context on the state's emerging firms, read more at Startups.
More information
To review the featured list and project documentation, read the online edition of Open Book.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Silicon Prairie News.
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