Don't Panic Labs

Engineering-first software for start-ups and established firms

Lincoln, Nebraska, is home to Don't Panic Labs, which builds software products. It was founded in 2010 and says it has partnered with hundreds of individuals and organizations on complex problems. The company began among start-ups, and says that experience taught it that a successful product needs sound engineering, agile methods and a mix of talent.

Engineering that moves quickly without cutting corners

The company distinguishes software development from software engineering and says quality engineering is the foundation of any successful product. It describes a balance between speed and sound architecture, so that a product can launch quickly and still scale when demand grows. It pairs its engineers with a client's domain expertise, which it says shortens the path into a new market and reduces risk.

Product partnerships across several sectors

The site lists a number of product partnerships. mySalesman is a lead qualification tool built for the fencing industry, which connects to a contractor's website so that homeowners can map their property and get an instant budget estimate, setting price expectations before a salesperson visits. NSWERS is a statewide reporting system for Nebraska that links the state's learning and earning systems to inform decisions about education and workforce outcomes. Other partnerships include a platform for building managers, a retail data system for a hobby store chain, a video capture and analysis tool for teams, an influencer marketing platform, a mobile app for finding food and drink deals, and a school shopping service.

From in-person training to digital transformation

Talent development is one of the company's services, growing internal engineering skills for client organizations. The site also describes work with BetterCulture, which began in 2010 with in-person training to help business leaders build strong company cultures and later moved into digital transformation. Corporate innovation work supports larger organizations that want to move into new markets or bring out new products.

Artificial intelligence and the team

The company now combines disciplined engineering with artificial intelligence, which it says it uses to turn ideas into products that stay useful over time. Its team includes software engineers, architects, UI and UX designers and project managers, who have worked together for years. The company says it wants to keep the human judgment that drives sustainable innovation at the center of its projects.