LINCOLN — A small-town Nebraska mom grew weary of having to travel to get speech therapy for her daughter. She went back to school to become an expert, opened her own clinic in Hemingford, with its population of less than 800, and developed a smartphone app that helps kids bridge communication gaps.
Thursday, Jenilee Woltman was among a handful of entrepreneurs and businesses recognized by the Nebraska Business Development Center during a State Capitol ceremony for “strengthening communities and expanding economic opportunities.”
Headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and nearly 50 years old, the NBDC is fueled by state and federal dollars. It operates nine offices statewide, typically providing free consulting services to businesses, from startup phases to succession planning, and expertise that connects clients to financial and other sources.
Woltman’s Sand Canyon Therapy business and “Mission Accomplished” app won the Innovation Business of the Year award. The app is described in an NBDC report as a tool that helps neurodivergent children build independence…