The first-ever Piece by Piece summit, hosted by the UNeTech Institute at the Catalyst, brought together inventors, entrepreneurs and investors to candidly discuss Nebraska’s innovation ecosystem, sans pitches or pressure.

UNeTech Associate Director Joe Runge said the summit was designed as a space where investors and entrepreneurs could connect without the pressure of pitching or posturing.

UNeTech is an entrepreneurial support organization and university-supported startup incubator in collaboration with University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Opening remarks

The summit opened with remarks from Runge, who framed the day’s purpose as building stronger bridges between the people who invent new technologies and those who fund them.

Runge emphasized the state’s legislative support for UNeTech, calling Nebraska forward-thinking in its approach to technological innovation. As a public institute, UNeTech’s mission is to commercialize university research to benefit the global economy, something Runge said only happens when invention translates into impact.

Panel one: Inventors

Moderated by UNeMed Licensing Specialist and Business Development Manager Tyler Scherr, Ph.D., the first panel featured academic inventors navigating the shift from research to commercialization. Panelists included Elizabeth Beam, MD, Ph.D., and Joseph Siu, Ph.D., from UNMC and  Jenna Yentes, Ph.D., from Texas A&M.

Each inventor shared how real-world challenges drove their innovations, from personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to global health crises to algorithms that monitor COPD patients through movement.

But the path to market isn’t simple.

All three spoke about the lengthy patent process, the difficulty of translating technical expertise into business models and the need for ongoing refinement.

Cross-disciplinary collaboration was key to their success, and the panelists emphasized the importance of partnerships with students, engineers and administrators. Still, each echoed the need for better support systems that help researchers connect with business resources earlier.

“Faculty can do things at a certain level,” Siu said. “But we’re not business professors.”

Panel two: Entrepreneurs

The second panel featured early-stage entrepreneurs and was moderated by UNeTech’s Stephanie Kidd and Stephen Hug. Panelists included Sheila Fields of Antibiogram, Doug Miller of Impower Health Inc., Taylor Korensky of VisionSync, and Jonell Tempero of RespirAI Medical.

Panelists shared the sentiment that building a startup is hard, lonely work and requires more than just a great idea.

Panelists discussed the importance of finding investors who align with their mission, leveraging local resources like I-Corps and maintaining clarity when communicating with customers and funders alike.

They also emphasized the importance of non-dilutive funding sources, mentorship networks and pitch clarity. Fields noted that bootstrapping was critical to Antibiogram’s early survival, and that entrepreneurs should prioritize problem-solving over fundraising.

Panel three: Investors

In a discussion moderated by Invest Nebraska Investment Manager Shelby Strattan, panelists from Boomerang Ventures, Portal Innovations, NBDC and Flyover Capital explored what they look for when making investment decisions.

They also talked about how successful founders are obsessed with the problem, not just the solution. These founders are coachable, understand their market and can communicate clearly why their product matters now.

“Investment is as much about the people as it is about the product,” said Alexandra O’Hagan-Padron of Flyover Capital.

Panelists discussed the increasing importance for digital health and remote care technologies, especially in rural communities. At the same time, they warned against common red flags they see in pitches, like messy cap tables or a lack of understanding of the insurance landscape.

Mark Schindel of Boomerang Ventures emphasized that early-stage startups can succeed without raising massive capital, especially with access to SBIR/STTR grants — sources of non-dilutive capital — and mentorship support.

“There are more ways to get started than ever,” he said.

Panel four: Reflections

The final panel, moderated by Runge, featured regional leaders reflecting on how to build a stronger innovation ecosystem in Omaha. Panelists included NMotion General Partner Scott Henderson, UNMC Vice Chancellor: Business, Finance, Business Development Anne Barnes, and Greater Omaha Chamber SVP of Economic Development Alec Gorynski.

They called out the need for a greater density of people, events and ideas, and more consistent efforts to build community across the region’s silos.

“Density is destiny, but it’s density of shared experiences,” Henderson said.

The conversation turned toward infrastructure, talent retention and investment. Gorynski challenged attendees to move from admiring problems to offering solutions, while Barnes urged the region to stop underselling itself.

“Everyone acts like Omaha is a well-kept secret,” Barnes said. “You don’t want it to be a secret. You want everyone to know it’s freaking awesome.”

Panelists also discussed the potential of local foundations to invest more intentionally in regional startups and emphasized the importance of reframing “brain drain” as “talent flow.”

Looking ahead: Building on momentum

Before closing the event, Henderson and Gorynski announced a plan to bring together the Greater Omaha Chamber, NMotion and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to host a future conference during Berkshire Hathaway weekend. The goal is to connect early and late-stage investors with founders in more intentional ways.

Henderson said there will be more announcements in the future about events similar to Piece by Piece.