Q: What service or product does your
business provide?
A: A+ Berry is a Big 10 food tech company based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that creates innovative & delicious antioxidant drinks for health. Our first product is AroJuice, a cold-pasteurized and delicious juice made from the super fruit Aronia berry grown in the Midwest that provides the highest antioxidant protection. The problem we are solving is that consumers want to improve their health through functional, innovative, low sugar, and delicious drinks in daily life instead of medicine, however, that need hasn’t been well met. What differentiates our solution is that we selected a revolutionary new super fruit and created an innovative process using a healthy ingredient (dietary fiber) technology to encapsulate antioxidants and high-pressure processing to kill microbes in products at cold temperatures. This patent pending green process greatly improves the taste and function of A+ Berry’s AroJuice. By drinking 8 ounces of AroJuice daily, our customers will get more natural antioxidants and soluble fiber than eating 1,000 blueberries, which is 3 times or more compared to other healthy juices, while reducing 50% or more sugar. Based on our face-to-face interview of over 5,000 consumers and sales data in one year, the key target market of AroJuice is health-conscious women, aged from 30 to 60 years old, in the upper-middle and wealthy class. It has been on the shelves of over 40 grocers in Nebraska, including more than 20 Hy-Vee stores, and sold to customers in over 30 states across the country via our online store.
Q: What made you decide to start the business?Â
A: Functional food has become the top food trend according to multiple food industrial reports. Consumers are extremely motivated to maintain good health in order to avoid a variety of ailments and even the effects of the coronavirus. For example, they desire more natural drinks that are rich in good nutrients such as antioxidants and dietary fiber, and avoid those high in sugar, alcohol, preservatives, etc. Products of super fruits like elderberry and acai berry that are high in antioxidants had exponential growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers wanted to improve their immunity and overall health. Processors didn’t have strong research and development capability to solve the taste issue of aronia berry and then develop a successful product to meet the needs of consumers. Therefore, our mission with A+ Berry is to improve human health through innovative and delicious antioxidant drinks that utilize cutting-edge food technology and the top-ranked super fruit Aronia Berry, and bring a positive impact to Midwestern agriculture. We developed the business by leveraging the R&D resources and strengths at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the network with American Aronia Berry Association, funding support from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and business skills at NMotion and Invest Nebraska.
Q: What makes your company unique?Â
A: As a Big 10-based food tech company, our biggest strength is to create innovative and high quality functional food products with scientifically proven health benefits. We also established a green, sustainable and transparent production practice. We have a deep understanding of foods and food processing, so we can provide consumers with truly healthy products, rather than mainly rely on marketing.
Q: What are your goals for the business?Â
A: We envision A+ Berry will be a leader in the antioxidant drinks market of USA.
Q: What service or product does your business provide?
A: Omedus is a medical device company focused on improving the quality of information available to medical professionals. Omedus is currently developing a medical monitoring device called the StatPatch that is designed for mass casualty situations, overcrowded emergency rooms, and monitoring military members during active combat. With automated triage technology and built-in tech to allow coordination across all active patches in the area, we have designed the StatPatch for ease of use and to provide actionable data to help save more lives. We plan to sell to fire stations, police stations, hospitals and the military.
Q: What made you decide to start the business?Â
A: As a travel nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed our health system struggle and fail to care for large groups of people. Omedus and the StatPatch were conceived as it became clear that a better solution was required. The board of advisors combines expertise from multiple health care professionals and technical specialists.
Q: What makes your company unique?Â
A: What sets Omedus apart is the depth of experience and knowledge from the founder and advisory board. Combining expertise from multiple medical positions and technical specialists, Omedus is equipped with a deep understanding of patient needs and health care challenges. Our technology is designed for patient comfort and to maximize provider access ensuring that the company’s focus remains centered on improving patient outcomes and experiences.
Q: What are your goals for the business?Â
A: Omedus will be a place of innovation. Nebraska is currently experiencing a ‘brain drain’ of its talent and having a center of this caliber of innovation and technology would encourage talent to stay in Nebraska. With many excellent centers of education available in Nebraska, it is imperative we provide as many opportunities for high-caliber employment opportunities.
Q: What service or product does your
business provide?
A: Planting People Growing Justice (PPGJ) publishes and promotes books that encourage and empower children to find joy in reading. We are a Black woman-owned children’s book publisher and social enterprise that seeks to increase diversity in books and promote youth leadership development. Our books explore history and culture across the African Diaspora with topics such as arts, geography, and science. Each book also supports the development of core leadership skills in these developmental areas: social-emotional learning, emotional intelligence, project-based learning, and anti-racist education.
Q: What made you decide to start the business?Â
A: I decided to open my business because I am deeply committed to building brighter futures, one book and one child at a time. As a civil rights attorney, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of illiteracy, particularly within marginalized communities. Many of my clients learned to read while in prison, which is unacceptable. This fueled my determination to address the root cause of this issue. The statistics are alarming: 1 in 4 American children are not reading at grade level by 4th grade, and those who struggle with reading are 4 times more likely to drop out of school and 3.5 times more likely to be arrested in their lifetime. This is unacceptable, and it presents an opportunity for change. Through my business, I am working to create new pathways for the future and to end the cycle of mass incarceration by promoting literacy and access to diverse books.
Q: What makes your company unique?Â
A: At PPGJ Books, our work is fueled by resilience and innovation. Our mission to promote literacy and diversity remains steadfast as we adapt and expand our offerings to meet the needs of readers nationwide. In response to changing times, we’re broadening our program to include ebooks and audiobooks, ensuring accessibility and convenience for all. This expansion reflects our perseverance — we’re not just adapting, but revolutionizing the publishing industry to address pressing social issues like ending the school-to-prison pipeline. Our creativity shines through our youth author training program, empowering young voices to write their own stories and become reading ambassadors in their communities. By nurturing these budding authors, we’re fostering a love for literacy and amplifying underrepresented voices. Beyond publishing, we’re actively serving our community and combating book deserts through our social enterprise model. By donating 25,000-plus books to children in need, we’re making a tangible impact on the lives of over 6,000 children and families, instilling a love for reading where it’s needed most.
Q: What are your goals for the business?Â
A: Our business goals align with our mission to promote racial justice and create a more inclusive society. We aim to expand our reach and impact through several key objectives:
-Expand distribution: We plan to increase our presence in retail channels, such as Hy-Vee and other major retailers, to make our diverse books and educational programs more accessible to a wider audience.
-Deepen understanding of racial justice: Through our books and educational programs, we aim to empower socially conscious adults and corporate citizens to deepen their understanding of racial justice issues and inspire action towards positive change.
-Foster inclusivity: We strive to create a more inclusive society by promoting diverse voices and perspectives through our publications and initiatives, fostering empathy, understanding, and solidarity among individuals and communities.
-Drive social change: Ultimately, our overarching goal is to drive meaningful social change by leveraging the power of literature and education to dismantle systemic barriers, promote equity, and create a world where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.
Q: What service or product does your
business provide?
A: We make and produce Skitopel. Skitopel (pronounced skee-to-pel) is the combination of the words mosquito and repel. Each product contains real herbs. These herbs are grown and harvested by us. By incorporating the entire herb into each product, we are getting the maximum use out of it. Our goal is for everyone to be able to get outside and enjoy it both bug-free and chemical-free. Our sprays have been tested and proven to be 100% repellent even at two hours. Even better is the fact that they not only repel mosquitos, but also gnats, buffalo gnats, no-see-ums, biting flies, sweat bees, deer flies, horse flies, chiggers and ticks. Our candles can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Q: What made you decide to start the business?Â
A: We started the company after we noticed the only time we encountered bugs, including mosquitos, was when we were away from home. We then did a lot of research to find the best way to do something so everyone
else can enjoy the outdoors as we do in a simple but effective way that is
also affordable.
Q: What makes your company unique?Â
A: We are unique in how our products are made and the ingredients in each. We want to make sure we are getting the most out of the herb to ensure the maximum benefit of it.
Q: What are your goals for the business?Â
A: Our goal is to get everyone outside and for everyone to enjoy it both bug-free and chemical-free. Too many people today are choosing to stay inside to avoid bugs and avoid having to use chemicals. The outdoors has a lot to offer with many health benefits and we just want everyone to enjoy it.
