LaunchLNK applications open until Oct. 16 for $20,000 non

The LaunchLNK grant program to support startups growing in or expanding to Lincoln is taking applications until Oct. 16. Six startups will receive $20,000 in grant funding, along with business support services valued at $23,000.

LaunchLNK has helped fund 42 startups since it was initiated by the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development (LPED) in 2018. Those companies have collectively gone on to raise more than $100 million in follow-on capital. In 2024 nearly 65 companies applied to the program.

“Funding is one of the biggest barriers to getting great ideas off the ground, so we are excited to provide a launchpad for local founders to build and scale their startups,” said Abby Bartholomew, LPED’s director of innovation and entrepreneurship, in a press release.

Said Jason Ball, president and CEO of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and LPED: “LaunchLNK is an investment in the entrepreneurs and ideas that can help shape Lincoln’s economic future … We are excited to welcome another group of founders to LaunchLNK in 2027 and see the impact they can make in the Lincoln business community.”

The goal of the grant program is to grow Lincoln’s economy, create jobs and increase local revenue. Economic data shows that startups drive new job creation. Lincoln also regularly tops the rankings for its business climate considering the low cost of living for workers, local amenities and work-life balance.