Husch Blackwell hosted Get Started Omaha (GSO), a networking event and pitch competition featuring 30 startup companies on April 6, 2022. The firm was pleased to take the reins as lead sponsor for Get Started Omaha in 2019. Due to the pandemic, the event was canceled in 2020 and was held virtually in 2021, so it was refreshing to hold an in-person event (with a virtual option) this year!
To kick things off, the startup participants were divided into industry groups that included healthcare and education; manufacturing, transportation and logistics; food and agriculture; energy, natural resources and real estate; and technology and financial services. Event attendees also voted for the People’s Choice Award.
We are pleased to share the winners of each category:
- Technology and Financial Services: AuditMiner allows 401k auditors to download standardized audit packages and pre-populated testing templates for use during their audit fieldwork, no matter where the retirement plan assets are located.
- Healthcare and Education: Diversity Telehealth is a platform that solves the problem of no-shows for both patients and physicians.
- Energy, Natural Resources and Real Estate: Event Vesta is a platform for finding and promoting local events.
- Manufacturing, Transportation and Logistics: Leash Pet Transportation is a pet-only ride-share service that connects pet owners, pet care businesses and trusted drivers via a web platform, creating greater convenience for pet owners.
- Food and Agriculture: Sentinel Fertigation is an agricultural technology company that is leveraging multispectral imagery to anticipate crop nitrogen needs and provide proactive fertigation recommendations to farmers and their trusted advisors.
- People’s Choice Award Winner: Swishboom is a mobile app that allows parents to book babysitters using trusted networks.
These six companies then participated in a Shark Tank-style pitch competition with one winner selected. In the end, the winner of the $25,000 grand prize was Swishboom! In a LinkedIn announcement, Swishboom’s co-founder Kellee Mikuls shared a heartfelt thank you to Husch Blackwell for providing this platform to startup founders.
The event drew 150 attendees, including many from cities outside of Omaha such as Kansas City, Chicago, Houston and St. Louis. The event was well-received in the startup community and left an impression on attendees in Omaha and beyond.
We can’t wait for GSO 2023! Be on the lookout for a forthcoming save the date. We hope you’ll consider making the trip – you won’t regret it!
