Software Developers for Straight Shot
Last Friday Volano participated in the second “pitch day” at Straight Shot, an Omaha-based accelerator for e-commerce and software as a service start-ups. Volano partners Don Stavneak and Rod Smith attended while Jordan Pascale of Silicon Prairie News, e-Creamery founder Abby Jordan and I sat on a panel to provide feedback for three of the seven companies, Quest, LocalLux and Kitchin on their seven minute presentations, geared toward potential investors. We had a lot of fun talking to the entrepreneurs, business community participants, DundeeVC staff and enjoyed local craft beer provided by Benson Brewery. But we have selfish reasons for wanting to see Omaha become a premiere hub for technology start-ups.
Rising Tide Lifts All Ships
Programs like DundeeVC’s “Straight Shot” help create a more attractive environment for entrepreneurs by supporting their development, getting them an audience of potential investors and helping them become more viable investment opportunities. They also draw dynamic members of the business community together. As an Omaha software developer, we benefit in the long term when more and more people come to understand how software can solve daily problems. In a business setting, creating software as a competitive advantage is also one of our goals. We are also a developer of software as a service, having launched Steelwool and Action Card, and we understand how significant the resource of intellectual capital is here in Omaha. We are constantly learning. Putting people together in a room who are early on in a software business or those who have had success in technology start-ups creates an environment where everyone can inform each other.
Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash paired up to do a VH1 Storytellers album years ago. In the banter between songs, they laughed about how the former members of super country group The Highwaymen used to joke about getting together to steal each other’s songs. In a sense, this is happening at Straight Shot. The companies get paired up with mentors whose areas of expertise range from legal and accounting to executive management and marketing. The owners, whose strengths and backgrounds vary in this year’s second accelerator class pair up with mentors who can help them in areas outside of their immediate comfort zone. Pitch Day is all about helping them learn how to articulate their company vision in front of a group and receive constructive feedback.
Community, Collaboration and Technology
The parallels between programs like Straight Shot and companies like Volano are stark. Our software development team work in an open, collaborative space and rely on each other’s knowledge to help them solve problems. Working directly with the clients for whom we build and sell software, we also realize that relationship development is a key component of writing custom code or developing mobile apps. It is on the strength of these client and community relationships that we land custom software business. We are also able to rely on many Nebraska-based peers for knowledge, introductions and feedback on our model and products. As benefactors of this environment, it is also important to proactively reach out and offer help where we can.
October 9, 2024
Volano Software further commits to the Omaha community by partnering with NAM to offer custom software solutions to nonprofits in Nebraska and Western Iowa. Omaha, NE, October 2024 — Volano Software, a custom software development company, is proud to announce its partnership with the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM). This partnership brings Volano Software […]
September 28, 2024
Finding a software solution to solving a business challenge can be overwhelming. We have been helping clients find the best approach for their industry challenges since 2007. The result has always been a solution based on your unique situation for a better workflow. One of the most popular questions we hear is whether to buy […]
August 21, 2024
Fall is nearly here. That means students return to school, parents settle into their routines, and summer vacations are distant memories. It also means that the Volano Summer Internship Program is now a wrap. Our two summer interns, Daniel and Micah have packed up and returned to their Fall Semester of school. Before they left, […]
August 20, 2024
OMAHA, NEBRASKA, Volano Software Company Applications for the Nebraska Innovation Fund (NIF) Prototype Grants are open now for Nebraska-based businesses searching to take their business tech from a napkin sketch to a full-blown prototype. At Volano Software, we are highly familiar with this program. In 2023, we were awarded the matching grant for our software […]
November 27, 2023
Volano Software – ESOP Company Volano Software Company based in Omaha, Nebraska announced recently the employees are now co-owners of the software development company. This transition ushers in continued confidence in the team during a challenging time for employee retention for many other software companies. Volano Software, celebrating its 16th year as of 2023, demonstrates […]
June 13, 2023
Data is like a vast set of building blocks, each has different shapes, sizes, and colors. Just like each brick has its unique utility, every piece of data carries a unique piece of information. As a business owner, how can you possibly start understanding what all the pieces of data from those fancy reports mean? […]