Sharing the Inside View: Reflections from the USD Discovery District Team
The USD Discovery District has marked a pivotal year in South Dakota’s innovation landscape, but its foundation rests on decades of strategic vision. In this episode of Favorable Environments, host Tung Nguyen joins his fellow USD Discovery District leaders — Ryan Oines (President and CEO) and Marc Niamba (Director of Biotech Development) — for a reflective conversation on the District’s first operational year since launching Building 1 in January 2025. Their discussion reveals what it takes to build a research park from the ground up, why collaboration drives sustainable growth, and how South Dakota is creating the right conditions for bioscience to thrive long-term.
2025 Year in Review: The Year We Became Real
In 2025, the USD Discovery District shifted from development to destination. With Building 1 activated, new tenants moving in, national leaders visiting Sioux Falls, and global partnerships taking shape, the District’s momentum became impossible to ignore.