Pipeline Entrepreneurs is a program designed to support fast-growing entrepreneurs in the Midwest, specifically Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, and is hoping to expand even further into Nebraska.
Pipeline, a Kansas City-based program funded by the Kauffman Foundation, has put down roots in three states, and while the Kauffman Foundation is developing a new strategic plan to refocus its efforts to make a greater impact in the Kansas City community, Pipeline Executive Director Melissa Vincent said this year they want to focus on Nebraska.
“I actually tend to focus on Nebraska because it’s a lot easier than Kansas City. That’s where we started,” Vincent said.
Vincent took over Pipeline four years ago, and since then the program has grown and evolved, she said.
Pipeline is made up of three cohorts: The Fellowship program is a one-year program targeted at fast-growing entrepreneurs. After completing this program, fellows become members and move on to the second cohort. The third cohort is Pathfinder, a program targeted at entrepreneurs from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds.
On Thursday, June 6, all three groups participated in the second of four modules of the fellowship program in Lincoln.
“The power of the pipeline is in the network of people who have been through the program, so we make a conscious effort to make sure these groups are really connected,” Vincent said. “They have a wealth of experience to offer our peers and pioneers.”
Pipeline prides itself on being a founder-first, startup-second organization, and Vincent says that Pipeline focuses on the individual founders, not the companies they’re building.
Jennifer Lee, founder and CEO of Entry Envy, an Omaha-based company that offers a subscription service for custom address signs with planter boxes for seasonal décor, is currently participating in the fellowship program.
Li is no stranger to coaching and accelerator programs — she was part of the NMotion 2023 accelerator cohort — but she says she’s gotten too used to the startup community. “It was time to get a little uncomfortable again.”
Lea agrees that the Pipeline program puts founders first, with more time for reflection and quality networking: “I trust the process.”
Taylor Stormberg, co-founder and managing partner of Pando PEO, a full-service professional employment organization, is one of the Nebraska residents participating in the fellowship program.
Stormberg said this is his first time owning and running a business, and he joined Pipeline because he wanted to be more involved in the startup ecosystem.
“[Pipeline] “It’s really about you, not your business. Sometimes it’s hard to separate yourself from the business,” Stormberg says. “It’s great to have someone who cares about you as a person, not about the values of the company.”
Pipeline continues to support entrepreneurs in states like Nebraska because it puts talent first. Vincent’s goal is to surround Midwest entrepreneurs with local community resources so they don’t have to leave or relocate to expand their businesses.
She said being in the Midwest means there tend to be fewer resources than places like the coasts, and the pipeline helps people stay where they are.
“We’re helping people who are already living and growing in Nebraska,” Vincent said, “and we’re not just helping now, we’re going to continue to help.”
Travis Stevens, a St. Edward, Nebraska native and owner of Direct Pivot Parts, participated in Pipeline’s fellowship program in 2020 and said that being from rural Nebraska, he never would have imagined himself being among this cohort had he not participated in the program.
Vincent hopes to connect with more founders in rural Nebraska and encourage them to join the Pathfinder program, which also includes rural entrepreneurs. The Pathfinder program is designed for founders who are in the idea or prototype stage of their startup, and who aren’t yet committed to it full time.
Stevens said because he comes from a rural area, he feels lucky that someone is bringing resources to Nebraska for people like him.
