It’s 2017, and a printing startup just raised $7m

Ink is an unlikely startup hero. For starters, the company’s based in Nebraska. And then there’s the fact that their business model is “revamping on-campus printing.”

Seemingly outdated, but apparently sound: they just secured a $7m round, bringing their total funding to $15m.

Wait, who still prints stuff?

College kids! And printing stuff on campus is a huge pain in the rear, involving logging into a desktop computer from the ‘90s, and engaging in a quota system that typically charges by the page.

The problem: most kids want to print from laptops these days — and college computer labs basically make that impossible.

Ink wants to change that

The company has created products that allow students to print by accessing their cloud-stored files directly on the printer, using a touchscreen.

There was a time when “sexy” startups ruled the ol’ SV, but a new era is upon us: boring companies that solve small but real issues are hot right now.

And while improving printing for college kids may not exactly seem like a Jobs-worthy, revolutionary idea, it’s reliable and more likely to provide steady returns.