Applications are open for a Lincoln economic-development program offering early-stage companies $20,000 in cash and more than $23,000 in professional services and other benefits.
LaunchLNK will select six companies for its next group. First-round applications are due October 16.
Abby Bartholomew, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship;, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
Abby Bartholomew, director of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development, said the funding does not require recipients to surrender an ownership stake.
“It’s one of the only grant programs for that early stage,” Bartholomew said during an interview on KLIN’s LNK Today with Jack and Friends. “It’s non-dilutive, so we don’t take any ownership.”
Applicants must either be located in Lincoln or be willing to relocate to the city. Bartholomew said applicants should also understand the problem their company is attempting to solve and be able to explain how the business could grow.
The selection process begins with an initial application review. Companies advancing to the second round will provide more detailed information about their growth plans and founding teams. Finalists will then appear before a panel that includes representatives from the university and corporate communities.
Bartholomew said 42 companies have participated in LaunchLNK during the program’s nine-year history, collectively attracting $115 million in follow-on investment.
The Chamber also reports that 76% of participating companies remain in business.
Jason Ball, LCoC Pres/CEO
Jason Ball, president of the Lincoln Chamber, said the program is part of a broader effort to develop companies that will remain and grow in Lincoln.
“When a business starts in a community, it’s a pretty sticky place for it,” Ball said. “How we build that ecosystem is by investing in the startup phase.”
Participating businesses have represented technology, agriculture and more traditional small-business sectors.
Bartholomew cited Larkspur Upholstery Studio, a 2024 grant recipient, as one example. She said the business has averaged 38% annual growth and now supports five employees and several contractors.
Additional information and applications are available at LaunchLNK.com.