Josh DeMers, program manager for The Combine at Invest Nebraska, stepped onto the stage at the 2024 Tech Nebraska Summit to introduce four of Nebraska’s most promising startup founders. With enthusiasm, he set the stage for a conversation about innovation, resilience, and growth. The panel featured Adriana Cisneros Basulto of Maxwell, Chad Johnson of Grain Weevil, Molly O’Neil of Superb Shifts, and Devon Seacrest of CodeBuddy—entrepreneurs with very different journeys, but a shared commitment to shaping Nebraska’s future through their own products.
Building Bold Visions
Adriana Cisneros Basulto opened with the story of Maxwell, her intelligent total rewards platform designed to make employees feel valued while helping companies optimize benefits costs. Her passion for creating a solution that benefits both employees and employers was infectious. “It all comes down to us humans—we want to feel valued,” she explained. For Maxwell, that means using behavioral economics, payments technology, and AI to revolutionize the way HR departments manage compensation and benefits.
Chad Johnson, co-founder of Grain Weevil, followed with a story straight out of a garage in Aurora, Nebraska. What began as a father-son project to build a robot for a family friend has grown into a company redefining agricultural safety and efficiency. “We started as a grain robot company, but now grain is only a third of our demand,” Johnson said. His pride in Nebraska’s contribution to their success was extremely evident, from the local businesses providing components to the farmers who opened their doors to let them test their prototypes.
Molly O’Neil’s journey was deeply personal. With nearly two decades of experience in senior care, she built Superb Shifts, a marketplace connecting senior care facilities with credentialed healthcare workers. “I’ve basically grown up in a nursing home,” she said gleefully. O’Neil’s startup uses technology to streamline staffing while prioritizing quality care—a mission inspired by her years of firsthand experience.
Then there was Devon Seacrest of CodeBuddy, a startup born during the pandemic. What began as an “Airbnb for garages” pivoted into a company tackling the talent gap in software development. “It was taking companies 18 months and $200,000 to find technical talent,” Seacrest said. CodeBuddy now offers AI-driven tools and a platform to connect businesses with developers, helping companies get more done with fewer resources.
Why Nebraska?
The conversation naturally turned to the role of Nebraska in their journeys. For Chad Johnson, it was simple: “We’re within 500 miles of 80% of the stored grain in the U.S. It’s where we work.” But Johnson’s story went deeper, detailing how his Aurora neighbors—a compliance officer, a vacuum molding company, and a former Silicon Valley patent lawyer—played pivotal roles in Grain Weevil’s early days.
For O’Neil, Nebraska’s strength lies in its people. She spoke fondly of the Flywheel founders who offered to mentor her. “They met with me every Friday for six months, helping me perfect my pitch deck,” she said. Their mentorship eventually turned into investment, a testament to Nebraska’s unique culture of giving back.
Adriana Cisneros Basulto echoed that sentiment, highlighting programs like the Nebraska Prototype Grant and Invest Nebraska’s matching investments. “It’s a no-brainer to stay here,” she said, citing not only the financial support but also the willingness of local companies to become early adopters of Maxwell’s technology.
Innovation Rooted in Empathy
When asked about embracing cutting-edge technology, the founders’ answers revealed a focus on using innovation to solve real problems. Cisneros Basulto shared how Maxwell leverages AI to create Max, an HR assistant that answers employee questions 24/7 in their preferred language. O’Neil described how Superb Shifts uses machine learning to predict the quality of healthcare workers based on their onboarding behaviors, ensuring facilities get the best talent.
Seacrest took a broader view, describing CodeBuddy’s mission to optimize the relationship between humans and computers. “AI is massive, but it’s about merging humans and machines to get the best result,” he said.
For Johnson, innovation isn’t limited to software. Grain Weevil relies on Nebraska’s world-class manufacturing capabilities to produce its robots. “We couldn’t find a better charger anywhere than the one made right here in Hastings,” he said, underscoring how local resources have fueled their growth.
Looking Ahead
As the panel wound down, DeMers asked each founder to share their vision for the next five years. Johnson spoke of scaling Grain Weevil to produce tens of thousands of robots annually while keeping operations in Nebraska. O’Neil and Cisneros Basulto both envisioned successful exits that would reinvest wealth into the state’s startup ecosystem. Seacrest shared a dream inspired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt: “In five years, we want everyone to have their own ‘code buddy’—and we want to be the company that makes that happen.”
A Shared Commitment to Growth
The panel wasn’t just a celebration of individual achievements—it was a rallying cry for Nebraska’s startup ecosystem. Whether it’s fostering mentorship, embracing risk, or providing early-stage funding, the message was clear: Nebraska has the talent and resources to become a hub for innovation.
As the audience applauded, it was hard not to feel inspired by the vision these founders laid out. Their stories are proof that with the right mix of ambition, support, and community, Nebraska’s best tech days are absolutely still ahead.
