About
Contributors
FAQ
Contact
We foster communities of entrepreneurs and creatives on the Silicon Prairie. We aim to be the source for news on our region's leading entrepreneurs and creatives.
Founded in July 2008 by community advocate Jeff Slobotski and startup founder Dusty Davidson, Silicon Prairie News exists to highlight and support the burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem on the Silicon Prairie. With four full-time employees and nearly a dozen contributors, we have individuals on the ground in and around Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City.
With a primary focus on tech startups, we publish a daily blog reporting on and profiling the individuals, companies and culture that make up the Silicon Prairie. With the goal of connecting, educating and inspiring individuals, we produce regular events, such as Big Omaha and (soon-to-come) Silicon Prairie News Meetups, and we have a hand in planning many more events throughout the year.
Our work has received recognition from CNN.com, The Next Web, Seth Godin and more. We’ve participated in regional conferences, such as the Nebraska Summit on Entrepreneurship, and globally, such as South by Southwest Interactive. We have a content syndication partnership with the Omaha World-Herald in Nebraska and Juice magazine in Iowa.
Although you may know us best for our blog, siliconprairienews.com, or our annual event, Big Omaha, we put in countless hours behind the scenes to build this region into a hub known for entrepreneurship and innovation. We’re inspired by the passionate individuals that surround us, and when it comes to building and strengthening this community, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone with more passion than the people behind Silicon Prairie News.
Events we produce:
- Big Omaha
- Des Moines event on Big Omaha scale (coming soon…)
- Silicon Prairie Meetups (coming soon…)
- Pitch Sessions
Events we have a hand in producing:
Other facts you should know:
- Originated from Jeff Slobotski’s personal blog, “Midwest to Manhattan,” begun in January 2008
- Founded and currently headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska
- Four full-time employees and about a dozen contributors
- Mascot is Analog the Prairie Dog
History
In January 2008, Jeff Slobotski began documenting his travel to other creative communities across the U.S. on his blog, Midwest to Manhattan. It wasn’t long before his focus turned to his home state of Nebraska and the amazing talent he knew was here. Joining up with Dusty Davidson of BrightMix in July 2008, the two launched Silicon Prairie News to highlight entrepreneurs and creatives in their own backyards.