Why I Launched Here

I never realized how big Lincoln was until I came here from Blue Springs, Mo., to attend the University of Nebraska. I studied at UNL's Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, where I met my future business partners -- David Graff and Brian Kaiser. We officially launched Agile Sports Technologies in June 2006, right after I received my MBA from UNL.

Our company provides software that helps football and basketball coaches, from the NBA and NFL to school teams, digitally store every video clip and play diagram. The old way was archaic -- a lot of paper, stacks of DVDs -- and coaches could only work from their office.

It seemed obvious to launch in Lincoln. We had a great network here, with investors and advisors nearby, and we found an awesome team of employees from Lincoln and UNL. They're really smart people, who understand software and know how to work hard. It's the culture of the state.

I've met a lot of people who left Lincoln for New York or Seattle, and they come back. They like the culture here. Plus, rent is more affordable, and the city is making it a fun place to live by rejuvenating the downtown. And if you're looking for a city that's just one notch bigger, Omaha is less than an hour away.

The weather's not an incentive, unfortunately, but I like having the seasons. -Christina Crapanzano

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