Invest Nebraska's New Venture Competitions are designed to provide opportunities for Nebraska's many talented entrepreneurs. So far, Invest Nebraska has organized six Venture Competitions: the Northeast Nebraska Venture Competition; the Western Nebraska Venture Competition; the Hormel Business Plan Competition in McCook, Nebraska; the Southeast Nebraska Venture Competition; the York Venture Competition, and the statewide "East to West" Nebraska Venture Competition.
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Why do we need New Venture Competitions?
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Because the tradition of entrepreneurship runs deep in Nebraska.
Risk and reward - Nebraskans get it. Think about it. Few business ventures pose more risks than farming. At any given time, you're dealing with the unknowns: weather, legislation, diseases, pests... Yet thousands of Nebraskans do it every day, just like their fathers and grandfathers did before them. Through hard work, clever solutions, and the power of a close-knit community, Nebraskans have excelled as entrepreneurs for hundreds of years.
This is our heritage, and Invest Nebraska believes that it should be treasured. Whether your business is agriculture-related, or deals in cutting-edge technology, we are here to help you carry the Nebraskan tradition of entrepreneurship forward.
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Nebraska New Venture Competitions are open to start-ups as well as existing businesses located in, or willing to locate to, the specific area where the competition is held. Winners of the local compatitions receive a direct capital investment ranging between $20,000 and $30,000. Additionally, at the end of ech year, Invest Nebraska organizes a statewide competition with a $50,000 prize, open to all Nebraska businesses and startups. To learn more about the specifics of the competition, visit our Rules & Guidelines section.
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A Unique Concept of Partnership
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Our New Venture Competitions are different from most business plan competitions in that the prize is not a simple cash award. Instead, the prize is an actual investment, by which Invest Nebraska becomes a shareholder in the winning business. From our perspective, there could be no better way to pledge our long-term support and commitment to the competition winner, and to the state, than to take a stake in your business.
The competition winner benefits from this relationship in a variety of ways. In addition to the investment, the winner is the recipient of mentoring services from the Invest Nebraska Board of Directors in areas such as business, legal and advertising.
Last, but not least, the winner learns the two most important business skills there are: corporate governance and shareholder responsibility. No matter how successful you are, if you want your business to grow, you are going to need to earn the support and respect of your lenders, investors, shareholders, and business partners.
Earning a reputation as a responsible and professional partner is by far the best investment you can make in your business. And what could be better than knowing that when you succeed, Nebraska succeeds with you, creating opportunities for other like-minded entrepreneurs in your community?
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