South Dakota Biotech Association

10/16/2026

BIG IDEAS. BOLD CONVERSATIONS. THE PEOPLE SHAPING WHAT'S NEXT.

20 years of progress. The next 20 years of possibility.

We're bringing together an incredible lineup of national and regional leaders for the 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit & Annual Meeting!

From U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and national security expert Andrea Thompson to biotech CEOs, researchers, investors and innovation leaders, this year's Summit will deliver powerful conversations about the future of South Dakota's bioscience industry.

National Innovation & Research — Turning discovery into real-world impact
National Security & Resilience — Protecting innovation in a changing world
AI at Work — Practical strategies for biotech operations
Built Here — Candid stories from South Dakota biotech leaders
The Next 20 Years — Building our state's biotech future
Founder Readiness — Critical decisions that can make or break a company

One day. Exceptional speakers. Conversations that matter.

October 27, 2026
The Catlin Hotel | Sioux Falls, SD

Don't miss your opportunity to be part of this milestone event!
REGISTER TODAY: link in bio

10/15/2026

WHAT DOES IT REALLY TAKE TO BUILD A BIOTECH COMPANY IN SOUTH DAKOTA?
No polished success stories. No sugarcoating. This is the story behind the story.

Join us at the 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit for:
Built Here: Candid CEO Stories from South Dakota’s Biotech Journey

Biotech leaders pull back the curtain on what it takes to build a company in a frontier industry—from securing capital and navigating regulatory pathways to finding talent, building partnerships, managing risk and turning innovation into real-world impact.

Moderator:
Eddie Sullivan – SAB BIO
Speakers:
Dr. Sam Sharma — Medical Device / FDA Approval, Grumpy Innovation
John Willard, III — CEO, CAW Industries, Inc.
Mark Luecke — SD Innovation Partners

Built here. Lessons learned here. Stories worth hearing.

Join us at the 2026 SD Biotech Summit | October 27 | The Catlin Hotel, Sioux Falls.
Get your tickets today!

10/15/2026

GREAT IDEAS DON'T BUILD COMPANIES. SMART DECISIONS DO.

Turning an innovative idea into a successful biotech company takes more than groundbreaking science. The decisions founders make early can shape everything that follows.

Join us at the 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit for:
Founder Readiness: The IP, Finance and Partnership Decisions That Can Make or Break a Company

Experts in intellectual property, investment and commercialization will share insights on the critical decisions founders need to get right—from protecting innovation and securing capital to building strategic partnerships and positioning their companies for growth.

Moderator:
Jamison Rounds — Value Visor Business Sales & Real Estate

Panelists:
Brooke Harms — Attorney, Ballard Spahr LLP
Blaine Crissman — Badlands Capital
Shane Farritor — Professor of Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Protect your ideas. Secure your future. Build for growth.

Whether you're launching a startup, commercializing research or scaling an emerging company, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

October 27, 2026
The Catlin Hotel | Sioux Falls, SD
Don't miss your chance to connect with the people and insights driving South Dakota's next 20 years of innovation.

10/14/2026

Thank you to Sioux Falls.Business for highlighting our upcoming 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit & Annual Meeting, celebrating two decades of innovation, collaboration and growth across our state's bioscience industry.

From a special anniversary keynote featuring U.S. Senator Mike Rounds to conversations on AI, national security, workforce development, commercialization and entrepreneurship, this year's Summit is about more than celebrating our past. It's about building our future.

We're bringing together the people, ideas and partnerships that will help shape South Dakota's next 20 years of biotech innovation.

October 27, 2026
The Catlin Hotel | Sioux Falls, SD
There's still time to join us! Register today and be part of what's next.

"We have an opportunity to look at what has been built and ask what it will take to accelerate the next stage of growth.” Help mark 20 years of biotech success at the upcoming South Dakota Biotech Summit. https://siouxfalls.business/south-dakota-biotech-summit-to-mark-20-years-of-innovation-look-to-the-future/

10/08/2026

AI IS ALREADY AT WORK.

The question is: How can your organization put it to work today?

Join us at the 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit for:
AI at Work: Practical Integration Strategies for Biotech Operations

Industry leaders will explore practical applications of artificial intelligence across research, operations, data security, customer intelligence and organizational workflows—with a focus on what organizations can implement right now.

Moderator:
Ashley Podhradsky

Panelists:
Troy Ament — Global Industry Leader, Palo Alto Networks
Sam South — Founder, Harvest AI

Less hype. More practical application.

Join the conversation at the 2026 SD Biotech Summit
October 27 | The Catlin Hotel, Sioux Falls

Link in bio.

10/08/2026

Have an innovative idea but need funding to bring it to life?

Discover how the federal SBIR/STTR programs can help turn early-stage research and innovative ideas into commercial opportunities—without giving up equity!

Join us for ABCs of the SBIR/STTR Program, a virtual training designed to help startups, small businesses, and researchers explore more than $5 billion in annual non-dilutive R&D funding opportunities.

📅 October 22, 2026

⏰ 12:00–1:30 PM CT

Learn about eligibility requirements, participating federal agencies, the differences between SBIR and STTR, and the first steps toward developing a competitive proposal.

Whether you're a startup, an established small business, or a researcher looking to commercialize new technology, this session can help you determine if SBIR/STTR funding is right for you.

Your next big innovation could start here!

Register today: link.usd.edu/SBIR-ABCs

10/06/2026

What will it take to build South Dakota’s biotech economy for the next 20 years?

At the 2026 SD Biotech Summit, we’re bringing together leaders who can help answer that question.

The Next 20 Years of Possibility: Building South Dakota’s Biotech Future

This forward-looking conversation will explore the workforce, infrastructure, capital, research capacity and partnerships South Dakota needs to compete, grow and turn possibility into progress

Be part of the conversation shaping what comes next.
Get your ticket for the SD Biotech Summit | October 27 | Sioux Falls: https://www.sdbio.org/summit

10/05/2026

THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SUMMIT SPONSORS!

As we prepare to celebrate 20 Years of Progress and the Next 20 Years of Possibility, we’re incredibly grateful to the organizations that have already stepped up to support the 2026 South Dakota Biotech Summit & Annual Meeting.

Your sponsorship helps bring together South Dakota’s biotech, research, healthcare, education, investment and innovation communities—and makes the conversations, connections and collaboration at this event possible.

Thank you for investing in South Dakota’s biotech future.

And there’s still time to join them! A limited number of sponsorship opportunities remain for the October 27 Summit.

👉 Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Joni Ekstrum at [email protected].