SIOUX FALLS, SD — The USD Discovery District is proud to return as a sponsor of the 2026 Medical Alley Summit, held February 12 in Minneapolis. As South Dakota’s only life science research park, the Discovery District is leading efforts to spotlight the state’s growing innovation economy and deepen regional collaboration with the nation’s premier health tech hub.
The Summit, hosted by Medical Alley, brings together a distinguished group of sponsors and speakers shaping the national conversation on innovation, healthcare, and bioscience. More than 300 founders, senior executive leaders, investors, researchers, and policy experts are expected to attend.
With its sponsorship, the USD Discovery District will elevate South Dakota’s expanding role in bioscience and showcase its just-published case study on OmegaQuant—a Sioux Falls diagnostics company now shipping to over 70 countries.
“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, it accelerates when regions learn from one another,” said Roberta Dressen, President and CEO of Medical Alley. “Partners like the USD Discovery District bring meaningful momentum and perspective to the Summit, and we’re proud to have them return as a sponsor.”
South Dakota’s Growing Platform for Bioscience
According to the Discovery District’s 2025 market study, South Dakota is projected to import over $6 billion in pharmaceuticals annually by 2050. Combined with the state’s cost advantages, rapid development timelines, and strategic opportunities with the University of South Dakota and major healthcare systems, this trend positions South Dakota as a growing market for biosciences in the Midwest.While lab construction costs are comparable to other hubs, the state provides significantly lower cost of living requirements compared to coastal research hubs, delivering strong economic advantages for scale-up biotech and diagnostics firms.
Building 1, the District’s 50,000 square-foot flagship facility, opened in 2025 and now houses tenants like OmegaQuant and, as of February 1 of this year, Community Action for Vets. Approximately 25,000 square feet of customizable lab and office space remains available for lease, with additional development planned across the District’s 80-acre campus.
“This event is an opportunity to bring South Dakota’s story into rooms where big ideas—and investments—are moving,” said Ryan Oines, President of the USD Discovery District. “We’re proud to return to the Summit and build visibility for a new kind of bioscience economy emerging in the Midwest.”
During the reception, which the USD Discovery District is sponsoring, attendees can discover the story behind one of South Dakota’s global biotech success stories. The newly released case study, How OmegaQuant Scaled Global Diagnostics from Sioux Falls, explores OmegaQuant’s international growth and is also available at usddiscovery.com/omegaquant.
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About the USD Discovery District
The USD Discovery District is a university-anchored innovation community in Sioux Falls designed to accelerate bioscience, life science, and technology-based development. Formed through a public-private partnership, the District is supported by the University of South Dakota, the South Dakota Board of Regents, the SD Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the City of Sioux Falls, and Forward Sioux Falls. Learn more at usddiscovery.com.
About Medical Alley®
Founded in 1984, Medical Alley® leverages a global network of health technology and care organizations to drive innovation and accelerate the development of breakthrough healthcare solutions to benefit patients around the world. Our vision is to elevate the Medical Alley® region as the epicenter of health innovation and care. To learn more, https://medicalalley.org/
Media Contacts
Ryan Oines
President, USD Discovery District
ryan@usddiscovery.com | 605-728-7926
Tung Nguyen
Partner, Thel Consulting
Marketing, USD Discovery District
tung@usddiscovery.com | 605-251-9043
Ben Wagner
Director of Communications, Medical Alley
bwagner@medicalalley.org | 651-707-4566
Media Resources
A full press kit is available here.
For additional requests or materials, please contact Ngoc Thach at nthach@thelconsulting.com.