The Venture Codex

Participated · Seed · Apr 2026

Founded by Jack Sellwood and launched in 2025, Grapple offers an AI-powered, self-serve analytics platform that integrates data from databases, spreadsheets, Salesforce, QuickBooks and other apps to help nontechnical users generate reports without a data engineer. The product targets sales, marketing and finance teams to reduce the time, effort and cost of compiling analytics. Grapple has attracted early customers such as Guardify and Workshop and has received external validation through acceptance into the LAUNCH Accelerator and finalist placement in the 2025 Silicon Prairie Startup Week Pitch Competition. The company is based in Omaha and has engaged with local startup resources including 1 Million Cups Omaha and the Nebraska Startup Academy. Near-term plans include hiring, marketing, and executing a go-to-market strategy to quickly generate awareness and revenue.

Participated · Seed · May 2021

Maptician offers a cloud-based intelligent space and occupancy management solution that helps companies streamline return-to-office and transition to hybrid or agile workplace models. The platform includes mobile reservation and scheduling features that allow employees to self-manage work schedules and workplaces. It also provides interactive social distancing tools, system-wide contact tracing, and pre-screen health surveys. Led by president Nick Eurek, the company targets safer, more intentional use of office space. Maptician is an Atlanta-based company and a 2019 graduate of Tech Alpharetta. The business plans to expand product development and hire technology, product, sales, and marketing personnel in Lincoln, Nebraska and metro Atlanta.

Participated · Series A · Mar 2020

OpsCompass offers a Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) enterprise SaaS that delivers operational control, visibility, and security across Microsoft Azure, AWS, Office 365, and Google Cloud. The platform provides information and actionable insight across compliance, security, and cost management. Led by CEO Manny Quevedo, the company supports multi-cloud environments for enterprise customers. OpsCompass is based in Omaha, NE, St. Paul, MN, and Chicago, IL. Following its Series A, the company plans to use the funding to accelerate product development, scale go-to-market capabilities, and capitalize on emerging market trends and demands. The round also included additions to its board and operating advisors, reflecting governance and technical support growth. OpsCompass is a public cloud governance and compliance company based in Omaha, NE. Led by president Manny Quevedo, the company offers Helm, a SaaS-based public cloud governance and compliance platform. Helm provides continuous governance and compliance monitoring across leading public clouds including Microsoft Azure, AWS and other global cloud platforms, accelerating workload migration to the cloud. The platform gives a high-fidelity view of an organization’s status in the public cloud and delivers real-time alerts to surface operational problems and manage associated costs. The company received an undisclosed funding round led by Invest Nebraska with participation from Dundee Venture Capital, Nebraska Angels, M25 and NelNet, Inc. OpsCompass plans to use the funds for sales expansion in the central U.S., training strategic service partners, and expanding key development personnel to support multi-cloud expansion and product enhancements.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2017

Alpin provides a purpose-built dashboard that helps IT administrators discover shadow IT and manage SaaS subscriptions, security, and user activity across Google and Microsoft environments. The product surfaces every application in use, offers features like Blacklisting and Lockdown, activity logging, security alerts, and license and budget reporting. Alpin says customers can capture cost savings of up to 30 percent and can deploy the dashboard in just two clicks with no installation required. Early adopters include SendGrid and Sphero, which used the tool to visualize SaaS spend, find shadow IT, and track renewals. The company is a graduate of the Techstars Barclays accelerator and is based in Boulder, Colorado. To-date funding exceeds $1M and will be used to expand product features and increase new customer adoption.

Participated · Equity · Nov 2017

Ink builds hardware and software to simplify campus printing, offering a touchscreen SmartStation that pairs with HP printers and an inkTouch product that works with existing printers while providing cloud-based services. Students authenticate with their campus ID card, access Dropbox, Google Drive and other cloud services, and Ink stores a keychain on the ID card to streamline future logins. The platform also supports AirPrint, lets users scan and sign documents on the touchscreen, and enables quick photo editing and emailing from the device. Ink says its system reduces the typical ~10-minute campus printing process to under a minute. The company has two pricing models: it will deploy machines for free and charge about $0.09 per page, or lease machines to schools so they handle student payments. Ink plans to be live in about 30 schools by the end of the year, including Stanford, UCLA and SUNY, and has raised a total of $15 million to date.