Luke Hansen never thought his entrepreneurial journey would culminate with Lincoln-based CompanyCam achieving a coveted unicorn status. In 2025, a late-stage funding round valued the construction documentation app at $1.5 billion, making it the first Nebraska-founded startup to reach that milestone.
“Some days you feel like a genius, the next day you feel like an idiot,” Hansen said, comparing running a business to a rollercoaster ride.
Mostly, though, the risk-taker credits the app’s success to a dose of luck and to the family, friends, and employees who stood behind him. Hansen’s passion for the idea stemmed from finding a solution to help others like his father, Mike, who co-founded White Castle Roofing. Luke, along with his two brothers, recalls stepping out onto the tops of houses in their early teens…