Napkin contest returns, entries due in March

January 5, 2026 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (January 5, 2025)—UNeMed will again sponsor a “Back-o-the-Napkin” contest, calling for inventive UNMC and UNO faculty, staff and students to submit ideas for new inventions and better ways.

Eligible entries will be limited to medical devices and innovations related to artificial intelligence programs or systems, software tools and applications, and research tools.

The deadline for entries is March 6, 2026.

All eligible entries will be judged by UNeMed’s internal Science and Technology Advisory Committee (STAC). Submissions will be evaluated for their novelty, market potential and possible intellectual property protection. Top entries with the most viable path to a business or product will be awarded additional development and financial support, which may include prototyping, feasibility testing, other developmental guidance and support as deemed most appropriate by STAC.

Designed to resemble actual napkins, entry forms ask that inventors draw and describe their ideas. Physical forms can be found at various locations around campus, including the McGoogan Library and the Innovation Design Unit. A digital version can also be downloaded here. Submit completed entries to UNeMed at unemed@unmc.edu or via campus mail (6099).

Any of UNeMed’s Innovation Ambassadors will also have access to the entry forms and can provide assistance and guidance.

Previous winners include:

Wearable Pinch Ligation Device—Quan Ly, MD, & Meghana Kashyap, MD, UNMC College of Medicine, Department of Surgery
Single Laser Measurement Device for Jump Testing—Michael Rosenthal, DSc, Elizabeth Wellsandt, DPT, PhD, and Michael Wellsandt, DPT, UNMC, College of Allied Health
Beam Helmet—Elizabeth Beam, PhD, assistant professor, UNMC College of Nursing
Light Pipe Retinal Viewer—Pukraj Rishi, UNMC College of Medicine, Ophthalmology
Energy-harvesting Exoskeleton—Sara Myers, UNO Biomechanics
Retrograde cerebral protection (RCP) central catheter—Aleem Siddique, MBBS, FACS, FACC, UNMC, College of Medicine, Department of Surgery

Funding and additional support for the contest is provided by the Great Plains IDeA-CTR.

In addition to a detailed description and as many details about the invention as possible, the form also requires the inventors provide contact information, and requires all inventors sign and date the form. The fine print (“Important Legal Stuff”) on the form reads:

ALL POTENTIAL INVENTORS AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA DURING THE CONCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS INVENTION MUST SIGN BELOW. BY SIGNING THIS NEW INVENTION NOTIFICATION FORM YOU HEREBY ASSIGN YOUR RIGHTS IN THIS INVENTION TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.

To the best of my knowledge all statements and information provided in this New Invention Notification (NIN) form are true and complete. I understand and agree that all rights, obligations, and financial interests pertaining to or derived from the invention are as determined under the University of Nebraska Board of Regents Bylaws and Policies, including, but not limited to Bylaw 3.10, Policy 4.4.1, Policy 4.4.2, and all applicable campus policies. I also understand and acknowledge that the University has the right to change the Policy from time to time, including the percentage of net royalties paid to me. Further, I acknowledge that the percentage of net royalties paid to inventors is derived only from consideration in the form of money or equity received under a license, option, or material transfer agreement for licensed rights. Per Policy 3.2.8, any conflict of interest will be handled according to specific campus policies which may require disclosure of a personal interest in the form of potential revenue through commercialization of an invention described in a publication or presentation. I agree to assist the University of Nebraska and UNeMed in the evaluation, possible protection and commercialization of the invention as described in this NIN.

UNeMed, in its sole right and discretion, may change or alter any terms and conditions of this contest at any time, without notice, to the contest entrants.

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Year in Review: 2025

December 22, 2025 Comments (0) Blog, News, Success Stories Like

by Charles Litton, UNeMed | December 22, 2025

It’s that time again when we keep with tradition and look back at 2025 to reflect on some of the more popular and important stories, events and developments.

1. Innovation Week

When I looked at our traffic numbers form the previous year, no single Innovation Week element led the site in views or clicks or whatever metric you choose. But four of our top 10 most visited pages, and eight of our top 20—a full 34 percent of all traffic to those pages—were dedicated to Innovation Week and its pinnacle event, the Innovation Awards. And no singular element seemed to shine above the others: news stories covering the Awards ceremony itself; announcements detailing schedule of events, PDFs of the Awards programs from multiple years, and static pages detailing the history and purpose of the event were all popular stops. And that is as it should be. We produce and celebrate Innovation Week with one, over-arching goal: To celebrate University of Nebraska innovations and the people who create them. This website aspires to many purposes, and adding volume to the efforts and accomplishments of our innovators is chief among them.

2. Idea Pub: Morning Edition

It’s clear that the Idea Pub: Morning Edition coverage is a fixture, and we should all get used to seeing more of it. Our top overall news story of 2025 announced the first-ever meeting for this group in the new Omaha Catalyst building in the EDGE District. The monthly showcase and networking event for University of Nebraska innovators, entrepreneurs and the local startup community has drawn steady numbers online and in person at the events. A quick count showed at least 20 Morning Edition-related stories pulling down high traffic numbers, including the story announcing Catalyst’s grand opening, which clocked in at our eighth-most read news story of the year.

3. UNeMed releases 2025 Annual Report

To the shock of no one, UNeMed’s annual report is another regular feature in these annual reviews, but not usually in such rarefied air as the top three. The 2025 annual report did break from custom in size, orientation and design style, even if its reporting of core metrics and recent success stories remained constant.

4. UNeMed launches startup incubator ‘The Furnace’

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was a recently published story announcing UNeMed’s startup incubator program. With the help of our friends at UNeTech Institute, The Furnace will nurture a handful of very early-stage faculty startups to prepare themselves to navigate the treacherous road of raising capital and building a strong foundation for a new biomedical business. We hope to announce the first of several cohorts this coming spring.

5. Design Thinking workshop tackles patient falls

In November we coordinated a two-day workshop that uses an interesting approach to developing new ideas to persistent problems. The Design Thinking method gathers a group of people together who are challenged to solve a specific problem. In this case, it was patient falls, a potentially fatal problem for elderly and other ailing people in hospitals everywhere. The story details how Design Thinking works and hints at what might become of ideas that were developed during the workshop.

6. Boot Camp

For the first time we hosted the annual Technology Transfer Boot Camp in our new digs in the Omaha Catalyst building in the EDGE District. Our new classroom setting proved to be the perfect location for us, which had sometimes been a struggle on a very busy and crowded campus. With our own dedicated learning facility, we expect to move more quickly forward with our plans to expand the program.

7. VIC featured in Fast Company

Our startup Virtual Incision continues to land among the top stories. The Lincoln-based surgical robotics company, built on a UNMC-UNL collaboration, followed up its FDA approval headlines from 2024 with more news in 2025. The most well-read among them was its No. 8 listing on Fast Company Magazine’s annual list of most innovative medical device makers in the world.

8. Nebraska ranks No. 82 in world for U.S. patents

A cornered technology transfer professional, upon threat of torture, will likely tell you that patents aren’t a great measure for success in the industry. However, they are a great tool, and a decent indicator to the level of innovative ideas we see from faculty, staff and students at the University of Nebraska. It’s no small feat to be listed No. 82 among the thousands of global academic institutions that were issued a U.S. Patent in the previous year.

9. SPN: MicroWash product launches nationwide

It was a great year for our startups with yet another grabbing headlines. This time it was University Medical Devices landing in the pages of regional news outlet, Silicon Prairie News, for successfully launching its first product, MicroWash.

10. BIRD Grant

Another success story about one of our startups, this one built on a UNO-UNMC collaboration that intends to make COPD a lot less deadly. RespirAI, who we named our Startup of the Year at our most recent Innovation Awards, landed a coveted BIRD grant early last year, and will use the additional funding to expand its Omaha presence and further develop an AI-powered home monitoring platform for managing chronic pulmonary conditions, starting with COPD.

Classics:

Several posts from previous years remain popular and relevant, particularly those that focus on day-to-day operations and legal issues associated with intellectual property.

Most popular features:

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Next Idea Pub to feature latest in surgical simulation

December 10, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (December 10, 2025)—The next Idea Pub: Morning Edition will be held on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 9 a.m. in the Catalyst building’s Forge Event Hall.

This month’s event will feature innovations in surgical simulation and medical education.

UNMC’s Joseph Siu, PhD, and engineering professor Carl Nelson, PhD, will lead a presentation that discusses their collaborative work in developing next-generation surgical tools.

Dr. Siu is professor and Chair of Global Health Opportunities in the Physical Therapy program at the College of Allied Health Professionals. He has developed a number of innovations related to simplifying and making surgical training devices more accessible and affordable.

Dr. Nelson, Associate Dean for the Undergraduate Programs in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has advanced several innovative improvements in surgical robotics.

Their presentation is expected to cover surgical simulation, smartphone-based instrument tracking, and custom joystick design. There are also tentative plans for a practical demonstration of a surgical simulator with haptic controllers or smartphone-based surgical instrument tracking.

Idea Pub: Morning Edition will be held in Catalyst Omaha on the western edge of the UNMC campus, on Saddle Creek Road. Free coffee will be provided. Catalyst, a co-sponsor of the event, will also offer complimentary facility tours on a first-come, first-served basis.

Park Omaha manages metered parking in a structure just north of the main entrance and along 46th and 48th Streets. See map for directions and more details.

The event is set for 9-11 a.m. in the Forge Event Hall on the north end of the building.

UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, created Morning Edition to help University innovators and entrepreneurs connect and collaborate with colleagues and experts from the venture capital and startup communities.

Morning Edition will also regularly feature “Office Hours” with UNeMed staff and Charlie Cuddy, who co-founded the Nebraska Startup Academy and MOVE Venture Capital. Office Hours creates the opportunity for faculty, students and staff to have one-on-one time with MOVE or UNeMed professionals to discuss new technologies or startup potential.

MOVE is a pre-seed and seed venture capital firm focused on investing in Nebraska technology startup companies. The Nebraska Startup Academy is a mentoring program for startup founders, investors and the local entrepreneurial community with the aim of building Nebraska into “an innovation hub in the Midwest.”

Morning Edition will be held on the final Thursday of every month and will continue to feature guest speakers from the University’s stable of successful and budding startup companies and from Omaha’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event will provide UNMC and UNO innovators an opportunity to build new partnerships and allies that can help develop their innovative ideas and discoveries into products that help people.

The event is free and open to all, and complimentary coffee will be provided as long as supplies last.

Morning Edition will continue in 2026, beginning on Jan. 22. CQuence Health will be the featured speaker, along with elevator pitches from the first cohort of UNeMed’s startup incubator, The Furnace.

Morning Edition is part of UNeMed’s “Idea Pub,” a suite of entrepreneurial networking events that includes “Innovations & Libations” and “Startup Showcase.”

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UNeMed launches startup incubator ‘The Furnace’

December 9, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (December 9, 2025)—A new incubator program for innovative University startups is now accepting applications to join its first cohort.

A product of a winning grant application through the Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, the program—called The Furnace—will be housed in the Omaha Catalyst building, formerly Omaha Steel Castings. The $75,000 Capital formation grant will help establish The Furnace for the first year.

“Too many of our startups have promising technologies and services but don’t have any capital, so they have to fight an uphill battle in just getting going,” UNeMed’s Business Development Manager, Tyler Scherr, PhD, said. “The whole goal of The Furnace is to help them build a compelling business plan around their technology to effectively communicate the opportunity for capital to find them.”

The Furnace will accept three or four fledgling startups in each of three planned cohorts.

In partnership with the Nebraska Business Development Center and CQuence Health, The Furnace will train and mentor each startup on how to build successful small business grant applications while refining their approach and pitches to private investors and venture capital groups.

Each cohort will run about three months, with NBDC leading the weekly grant-writing workshops. CQuence Health, a company built on providing strategic advice and investment capital for innovative startups in healthcare, will add regular training modules to help inventor-entrepreneurs refine their business plans, presentation skills and other important elements for raising funds.

In the end, each graduate of The Furnace is expected to have completed an SBIR/STTR grant application, created a sound “go-to-market” strategy, refined their “pitch deck,” and assembled a strong team of advisers.

Participants in The Furnace will also have access to the membership of the state’s bioscience trade association, Bio Nebraska; the industry relations and customer discovery services of UNeTech Institute; and the educational programming and extensive entrepreneurial network of the Nebraska Startup Academy.

“One of the more valuable things, in my mind,” Dr. Scherr said, “is every entrepreneurial team in The Furnace will officially become part of the startup ecosystem here in Nebraska. That means they get plugged into all the meetings, all the groups, all the entrepreneurial support organizations, all of it. That alone should help open a lot of doors for these companies.”

To apply for The Furnace, use the embedded form below or direct your browser here: https://forms.gle/3gP8sDYRTkgMN9aq8.

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Nebraska startup brings remote consulting into the room

November 25, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (November 20, 2025)—The featured Nebraska startup at the most recent Idea Pub: Morning Edition is improving remote consulting operations.

“GO 360 LIVE” uses a 360-degree, 4K camera for more effective remote consulting that allows viewers to see and evaluate in real-time. Originally developed to help healthcare facilities evaluate and improve their infectious disease control procedures, the system allows multiple users to change their view as needed without impacting anyone else’s view of the remote location.

The innovative technology could lead to consultants and advisers to catch previously hidden or unseen flaws or gaps in the systems or procedures they’re evaluating.

“A two-way consultation shows you what they want you to see,” said co-inventor and co-founder Angie Vasa, “or they don’t know what you need to see.”

Vasa, Nebraska Medicine’s Director of Biopreparedness and Special Pathogen Programs, collaborated with Tess McKinney, former faculty at UNMC and current President and CEO at XRenegades.

GO 360 LIVE shows potential in a wide range of applications that include providing expertise to rural areas for animal and human health, educational consulting and industrial advising.

Morning Edition is UNeMed’s networking event for university innovators, entrepreneurs and startup community members. Catalyst Omaha co-sponsors the event and provides free tours of the spacious facility.

Morning Editions will continue to be a fixture in the Catalyst’s Forge Event Hall, located on the north end of the building. Guided tours will also continue as an added feature.

The next Morning Edition is planned for Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in the Forge Event Hall at 9-11 a.m.

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Workshop kicks off Ambassador program

November 24, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (November 7, 2025)—UNeMed completed the first round of training for its new Innovation Ambassadors program, wrapping up an all-day workshop today that gave the 13-person cohort a deep dive into intellectual property, technology transfer and commercialization.

Officially announced and launched during the Innovation Awards ceremony last month, the Innovation Ambassadors program was created to help innovative faculty, staff and students who might have new inventions, discoveries or other ideas and don’t know where to turn or what to expect.

The 13 Ambassadors are an elite group of experienced faculty inventors empowered to act as mentors, advisers and advocates for colleagues who are unfamiliar or even skeptical of the innovation or technology transfer process.

UNeMed launched the Innovation Ambassador program to expand the visibility of technology commercialization and deepen the connections between researchers and UNeMed, said President and CEO Michael Dixon, PhD.

“Our first cohort of Ambassadors brings remarkable experience translating discoveries into real-world solutions. By activating this network of knowledgeable and engaged researchers, we aim to make the commercialization process more approachable, more connected, and ultimately more impactful for the entire research community.”

As a group, the Innovation Ambassadors have disclosed 249 inventions, applied for 199 patents—44 of which have issued—built five startup companies and have had 20 technologies licensed. They have also amassed more than $4 million in additional grants, sponsored research and funding.

With so much experience in the room, the Ambassadors workshop was expected to run as a short lecture program. The main goal was to provide a base understanding of all UNeMed actives and perhaps demystify some processes and decisions that come up along the path toward commercialization.

“The ambassadors were actually far more engaged than we expected,” said Nathan Hatch, PhD, the program director and a licensing specialist at UNeMed. “The second slide of a 50-slide presentation elicited 30-minutes of really good questions.”

UNeMed only covered about half of the intended program, so further training and additional workshops are planned, but the program has already yielded positive results, Dr. Hatch said.

“We had some great discussions that directed us toward some potential changes we can make to improve our operations,” he said. “This is just getting started and they’ve already demonstrated just how impactful we expect this program to be over the next few years.”

UNeMed’s Innovation Ambassadors are:

	Hamid Band, MD, PhD Elizabeth Bruce Professor of Cancer Research Director of the Center for Breast Cancer Research Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer & Allied Diseases University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-8572 hband@unmc.edu		Bethany Lowndes, PhD, MPH Associate Professor, Human Factors Department of Neurological Sciences College of Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-6202 bethany.lowndes@unmc.edu
	Beth Beam, PhD, RN Director of Global Health HEROES Program Director Associate Professor, College of Nursing University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-6547 ebeam@unmc.edu		Thanh Nguyen, PhD, MSN, FNP-C Assistant Professor & Research Scientist, Department of Emergency Medicine College of Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-5413 thang.nguyen@unmc.edu
	Gregory Bennett, DMD Chair & Associate Professor, Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry College of Dentistry University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry (402) 472-1272 greg.bennett@unmc.edu		Ryan Riskowski, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Physics College of Arts & Sciences University of Nebraska at Omaha (402) 554-2511 rriskowski@unomaha.edu
	Benson Edagwa, PhD Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience College of Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-0856 benson.edagwa@unmc.edu		Ka-Chun (Joseph) Siu, PhD Chair & Professor, Global Health Opportunities, Physical Therapy Program College of Allied Health Professions University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-8464 kcsiu@unmc.edu
	Robin Gandhi, PhD Associate Dean for Research, Technology, and Facilities Charles W. & Margre H. Durham Distinguished Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Informatics College of Information Science & Technology University of Nebraska at Omaha (402) 554.3363 rgandhi@unomaha.edu		Paul Trippier, PhD Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Co-Director, T32 Training Program in Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias Drug Discovery Co-Leader Translational Cancer Research Program, Buffett Cancer Center College of Pharmacy University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 836-9763 paul.trippier@unmc.edu
	Jason Johanning, MD, MS, FACS Professor, Department of Surgery Division of Vascular Surgery College of Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-4395 jjohanning@unmc.edu		Justin Weeks, PhD Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychology Psychotherapy Director, Anxiety Subspecialty Treatment program Nebraska Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center (402) 559-5031 juweeks@nebraskamed.com
	Brian Knarr, PhD Associate Professor, Biomechanics Core Director, Center for Research in Human Movement Variability College of Education, Health, & Human Sciences University of Nebraska at Omaha (402) 554-3228 bknarr@unomaha.edu

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Infection control and prevention startup headlines next Idea Pub

November 17, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (November 17, 2025)—The next Idea Pub: Morning Edition will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m. in the Catalyst building’s Forge Event Hall.

This month’s event will feature a startup built around a collaborative innovation between Nebraska Medicine nurse and former UNMC faculty. Called GO 360 LIVE, the startup’s innovation is a virtual consultation application that uses a 360-degree, 4K camera for effective remote infection prevention and control programs.

Angela Vasa, MSN, RN, Nebraska Medicine’s Director of Biopreparedness and Special Pathogen Programs, and Tess McKinney, former faculty at UNMC and current President and CEO at XRenegades, collaborated on the initial innovation and co-founded the startup together.

Idea Pub: Morning Edition will be held in Catalyst Omaha on the western edge of the UNMC campus, on Saddle Creek Road. Free coffee will be provided. Catalyst, a co-sponsor of the event, will also offer complimentary facility tours on a first-come, first-served basis.

Park Omaha manages metered parking in a structure just north of the main entrance and along 46th and 48th Streets. See map for directions and more details.

The event is set for 9-11 a.m. in the Forge Event Hall on the north end of the building. Omaha Catalyst will also be offering a Free Co-Working Day on Nov. 20 for anyone interested. Register here for a free day of working at Omaha Catalyst: https://catalystcoworkingdays.eventbrite.com

UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, created Morning Edition to help University innovators and entrepreneurs connect and collaborate with colleagues and experts from the venture capital and startup communities.

Morning Edition will also regularly feature “Office Hours” with UNeMed staff and Charlie Cuddy, who co-founded the Nebraska Startup Academy and MOVE Venture Capital. Office Hours creates the opportunity for faculty, students and staff to have one-on-one time with MOVE or UNeMed professionals to discuss new technologies or startup potential.

MOVE is a pre-seed and seed venture capital firm focused on investing in Nebraska technology startup companies. The Nebraska Startup Academy is a mentoring program for startup founders, investors and the local entrepreneurial community with the aim of building Nebraska into “an innovation hub in the Midwest.”

Morning Edition will be held on the final Thursday of every month and will continue to feature guest speakers from the University’s stable of successful and budding startup companies and from Omaha’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event will provide UNMC and UNO innovators an opportunity to build new partnerships and allies that can help develop their innovative ideas and discoveries into products that help people.

The event is free and open to all, and complimentary coffee will be provided as long as supplies last.

The final Morning Edition of 2025 will be on Dec. 18, which will feature Surgical Simulation Technologies. Morning Edition will continue in 2026, but those dates and speakers have not yet been announced.

Morning Edition is part of UNeMed’s “Idea Pub,” a suite of entrepreneurial networking events that includes “Innovations & Libations” and “Startup Showcase.”

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Design Thinking workshop tackles patient falls

November 13, 2025 Comments (1) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (November 12, 2025)—A recent workshop gathered University of Nebraska faculty and clinical staff from Nebraska Medicine to use a new approach to develop solutions to the ongoing problem of patient falls.

“A major emphasis of this grant was to provide design thinking training and resources to faculty across the University of Nebraska system,” said UNeMed Sr. Licensing Specialist and Business Development Manager, Tyler Scherr, PhD, who organized the two-day event. “I can’t wait to see how these creative faculty and clinicians implement design thinking to tackle problems and improve outcomes in their own units, departments and colleges.”

Led by Doug Deitz, an industrial engineer and former design team lead at GE Healthcare, the Nebraska X Design Workshop was a two-day event. The first day was an immersive boot camp that versed participants in the Design Thinking methodology.

The Design Thinking approach is a five-stage process that first asks participants to empathize with and then define the problem, followed by brainstorming ideas and, finally, building and testing a prototype.

On the second day of the Nebraska X Design Workshop, those methods were put to use in finding a way to help prevent the more than 250,000 injuries and 11,000 deaths that happen as a result of patient falls each year in American hospitals.

“We were challenged by Chancellor (Dele) Davies to use design thinking methodology to attempt to get into the head of a patient; to see things from a patient’s perspective as proximal to a fall event as safely and ethically possible,” Dr. Scherr said.

The solutions proposed and developed during the workshop will be further reviewed by UNMC leadership and Nebraska Medicine officials, which could potentially lead to further development or even commercialization.

There were 25 participants, including representatives from all four University Nebraska campuses. The workshop was held on Nov. 11-12 in UNeMed’s training classroom in the Omaha Catalyst building.

The Nebraska X Design Workshop was the culmination of a two-year Nebraska Collaboration Initiative grant from the Nebraska Research Initiative, and hosted in collaboration with UNeMed, UNeTech, UNMC Design Thinking and the Nebraska Medicine Innovation Design Unit.

“I want to thank Executive Vice President and Provost David Jackson for the Nebraska Collaboration Initiative funding,” Dr. Scherr said. “We set out to pilot the efficacy of applying design thinking principles to clinical challenges, and over the course of two years of funding, we convened over 80 interdisciplinary students, faculty, and clinicians resulting in four promising new inventions in various stages of prototyping and testing.”

Anyone interested in learning more about design thinking and would like access to the leadership team and various University resources, please visit the following and reach out to a member of the UNMC Design Thinking Leadership Team:

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UNeMed releases 2025 Annual Report

October 27, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 27, 2025)—UNeMed released last week its 2025 annual report, detailing key metrics, highlights and notable achievements during the fiscal year ending in 2025.

The report leans on a design reminiscent of the classic artistic style used to promote U.S. National Parks in 1930s and 1940s. The artistic theme helps illustrate recent successes and initiatives while also promoting UNeMed’s recent move into the Omaha Catalyst building as one of the charter tenants at the new facility.

Success stories highlight in the annual report include reports detailing the continued growth and advancement of UNeMed startups, Automated Assessments, University Medical Devices, RespirAI and Virtual Incision.

Automate Assessments announced earlier this year that it acquire FDA approval for it’s handheld device. The device helps surgeons determine the overall health of patients about to undergo surgery, potentially identifying high-risk patients before they present unexpected complications during a procedure.

University Medical Devices produces MicroWash, a new nasal sample collection kit that eliminates the need for nasal swabs when testing for highly infectious diseases. The sample kit launched as a product available on the open market earlier this year.

RespirAI announced a successful fundraising round as it build toward seeking FDA approval. RespirAI is making a wearable device that promises to predict the sudden flareup of potential deadly symptoms associated with COPD. RespirAI is based on a technology developed through a UNMC and UNO collaboration.

Virtual Incision also made several headlines earlier this year for securing FDA approval and landing in a national publication’s list of most innovative tech companies in the world. Virtual Incision is a surgical robotics company built on a collaboration between UNMC and UNL.

The annual report also looks back at several other successful initiatives, including the annual Innovation Awards ceremony, the launch of a new online new invention notification submission portal, the University’s continued standing in the world for intellectual property and its annual Summer Chill event.

Finally, the 2025 annual report presents core metrics for all of UNeMed’s activities.

The complete annual report can be viewed online, and printed copies are also available. Contact UNeMed to receive a free printed copy.

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Innovation Week wraps tonight with launch party

October 25, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News, Success Stories Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 25, 2025)—Innovation Week concludes tonight with a startup launch party for FamilyRoom.health, a new company built by UNMC nurse, Breanna Hetland, PhD.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 19th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The party will be at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs at 4-7 p.m. The evening will feature more information about the growing startup company, along with art, music and refreshments.

Attendees will have the opportunity to view a never-before-seen collection from Omaha-artist Eduardo Gardea, accompanied by live music performed by a UNO jazz ensemble.

Familyroom.health is a digital platform dedicated to creating healing moments for families experiencing critical care. FamilyRoom’s innovative, free solution offers practical tools, resources, and community support to help the millions of family caregivers better manage communications during critical moments, such as those when patients are in intensive care units.

To register and learn more about the launch party, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burden-bloom-tickets-1664576074849.

Learn more Innovation Week and all the events on UNeMed’s Innovation Week page.

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Ambassadors program announced at 2025 Innovation Awards

October 24, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 23, 2025)—UNeMed held its annual gala celebrating innovation and discovery at the University of Nebraska with its 18th annual Innovation Awards banquet Wednesday night at the Scott Conference Center on UNO’s Aksarben Campus.

The Awards ceremony represented the pinnacle of UNeMed’s Innovation Week, a series of events designed to inspire, support and recognize the many contributions of all University personnel who contributed to innovative ideas, new technologies or entrepreneurial ventures during the previous fiscal year.

The evening was highlighted by the presentation of several key awards and the unveiling of a new cohort of campus advisers, the Innovation Ambassadors.

UNeMed president and CEO Michael Dixon, PhD, unveiled 13 Innovation Ambassadors during the short ceremony, announcing the program as an elite group of University leaders and experienced faculty inventors empowered to act as mentors to colleagues unfamiliar or skeptical of the technology transfer and commercialization process. UNeMed also created the Innovation Ambassador program to advocate for the services, benefits, usefulness, necessity and professionalism of the University’s technology transfer and commercialization office, Dr. Dixon said.

The first cohort of Innovation Ambassadors are: Hamid Band, MD, PhD; Beth Beam, PhD, RN; Gregory Bennett, DMD; Benson Edagawa, PhD; Robin Gandhi, PhD; Jason Johanning, MD, MS, FACS; Brian Knarr, PhD; Bethany Lowndes, PhD; Thanh Nguyen, PhD, MSN, FNP-C; Ryan Riskowski, PhD; Ka-Chun (Joseph) Siu, PhD; Paul Trippier, PhD; and Justin Weeks, PhD.

UNMC's IDU director, Bethany Lowndes (left), is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNO biomechanics researcher Brian Knarr (right) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC surgeon Jason Johanning (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNO IS&T preofessor Robin Gandhi (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC phamracology and expermental neurisciience professor Benson Edagwa (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNO physics professor Ryan Riskowski (right) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

Clinical psychologist Justin Weeks (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC nursing professor Beth Beam (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC emergency medicine professor Thanh Nguyen (left) is inducted into UNeMed's Innovation Ambassadors program in a "Grey Coat Ceremony" with licensing associate Nathan Hatch during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

A crowd of 220 turned out to network with colleagues, university leadership and UNeMed staff who honored all UNMC and UNO inventors that submitted new inventions, licensed a technology or were issued a U.S. patent during the previous fiscal year. In addition, special awards were presented for the Startup of the Year, Faculty Entrepreneur, Innovation Champion, Most Promising New Invention, and Emerging Inventor.

The highlight of the evening was the Awards presentation. Patent awardees were presented commemorative plaques, licensees were presented with glass trophies and new invention submitters were rewarded with unique T-shirts and pennants. The T-shirts and pennants are only presented to inventors who submit new inventions. Inventors were also given lapel pins that can be affixed to their pennants to denote the number of inventions they have disclosed.

UNMC professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, Ashok Puri, delivers brief remarks in accepting the Emerging Inventor Award during UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

Ashok Puri, MBBS, MS, a professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at UNMC, was named the 2025 Emerging Inventor. His work focuses on using artificial intelligence to create more robust and accurate diagnostic tools for several medical conditions. He is also a co-founder of a startup company, Deep Heath Diagnostics, which is built on his innovative algorithms.

During his brief acceptance speech, Dr. Puri, who began his career as a clinician for more than 20 years, addressed his second act as a researcher, inventor and entrepreneur: “If there’s one message to clinicians I would share,” he said, “If I can do it, anyone also can.”

The Most Promising New Invention of 2025 was the Cardiac Cath Lab Mentor, developed by UNMC cardiologist Edward O’Leary, MD. A professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the director of UNMC’s Cardiovascular Catheterization Laboratory, Dr. O’Leary’s invention is a software solution to help better train medical students on how to interpret coronary angiograms. His innovation is also the basis of a new startup company, Aprendo Cardiovascular Solutions.

UNMC cardiologist Edward O’Leary accepts the Most Promising New Invention award from UNeMed CEO and President Michael Dixon during UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

“This is not something I have done,” Dr. O’Leary said. “This is something we have done. It was truly a team effort.”

The Faculty Entrepreneur Award was presented to serial inventor Thanh Nguyen, PhD, for his work in building two growing startups: University Medical Devise and HemaGlobal. With more than 91 inventions to his credit and the most recent recipient of the prestigious President’s Excellence Award for Faculty Intellectual Property Innovation and Commercialization, Dr. Nguyen is a professor in UNMC’s Department of Emergency Medicine.

“Anyone who has been down the entrepreneur path knows this is a team sport,” Dr. Nguyen said. “I’d like to recognize Dr. Michael Wadman (Emergency Medicine Chair) for what he has done. Not only for his support, but also for building a culture of innovation that no one has ever seen before.”

University Medical Devices is currently selling a new nasal sample collection kit that eliminates the need for painful swabs that test for infectious diseases. HemaGlobal is marketing a new device that simplifies the process of successfully collecting a blood smear sample.

The Startup of the Year award was presented to Nimrod Bin-Nun, CEO of RespirAI, a company built on a collaboration between UNMC clinicians and UNO’s biomechanics department. RespirAI has secured more than $4.5 million in funding to help launch a wearable device company that hopes to solve the critical problem of detecting the sudden and potentially fatal flareup of symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“After four years of collaboration and 20 years as an entrepreneur,” Bin-Nun said, “Nebraska, and Omaha specifically, is an amazing place to build a company.”

The 2025 Faculty Entrepreneur Award recipient, Thanh Nguyen, accepts his award with brief remarks during UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony, on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

Finally, UNeMed presented Invest Nebraska with the Innovation Champion award for its tireless support in helping build the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and several University startups in the last 25 years.

The 2025 Innovation Awards was one of several events for Innovation Week, which began on Monday with a “Kickoff” event. Innovation Week continued Thursday evening with Idea Pub: Startup Showcase in the Forge Event Hall in the Omaha Catalyst building on Saddle Creek Road.

The showcase featured several pitch presentations highlighting Nebraska medical innovations that have become the basis for new startup companies.

A panel discussion with members of the National Institutes of Health had been planned for Friday but that has been postponed due to the ongoing government shutdown. The discussion was expected to cover how to secure federal SBIR/STTR grant funding. UNeMed will make an announcement when that event is rescheduled.

UNMC Emergency Medicine professor and former ER nurse Thanh Nguyen (left) accepts the Faculty Innovator Award from UNeMed CEO and President Michael Dixon during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

Invest Nebraska's Donna Kush and Dan Hoffman accept the Innovation Chmapons AWards from UNeMed CEO and President Michael Dixon (right) during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony, on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

From left are RespirAI's Jonell Tempero, RespirAI's Nimrod Bin-Nun, Omaha Chamber of Commerce's Alec Gornyski, and Invest Nebraska's Dan Hoffman during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences Ashok Puri (left) accepts the Emerging Inventor award from UNeMed CEO and President Michael Dixon during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC Vice Chancellor for Research Ken Bayles chats with guests during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNMC inventor John Bertoni during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

RespirAI's Nimrod Bin-Nun and Jonell Tempero acept the Startup of the Year award from UNeMed President and CEO Michael Dixon during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony, on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNeMed President and CEOMichael Dixon (center) chats with guests during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

UNeMed President and CEO Michael Dixon shows off the exclusive T-shirts available only to University of Nebraska inventors during UNeMed's 2025 Innovation Awards ceremony on Oct. 22 at the Scott Conference Center in Omaha.

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Nebraska innovations on display at Startup Showcase

October 23, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 23, 2025)—Innovation Week continues today with Idea Pub: Startup Showcase at 4-6 p.m. at the Omaha Catalyst Forge Event Hall.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 19th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Startup Showcase is sponsored in partnership with UNeTech Institute and NUTech Ventures. The event will feature several short presentations featuring new companies built around Nebraska innovations in healthcare, including:

Aquablade
Deep Health Diagnostics
Grasshopper Health
Mission Accomplished ADHD App
Neurosound LLC
Rheam Medical

Innovation Week will continue at noon on Friday with a panel discussion hosted by the National Institutes of Health. Five panelists from the NIH will discuss non-dilutive funding opportunities for academic researchers and innovators interested in pursuing the small business grant program. The discussion will be a virtual event, held via Teams. To register go here. Nebraska researchers are also encouraged to pre-book one-on-one meetings with NIH panelists here.

Innovation Week concludes on Saturday with startup launch party for FamilyRoom.health, a new company built by UNMC nurse, Breanna Hetland, PhD. The party will be at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs at 4-7 p.m. The evening will feature more information about the growing startup company, along with art, music and refreshments. To register and learn more about the launch party, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burden-bloom-tickets-1664576074849.

All events are free and open to the public. Further details can be found on UNeMed’s Innovation Week page.

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SBIR/STTR grant seminar is postponed

October 22, 2025 Comments (0) News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 22, 2025)—Due to the ongoing government shutdown, UNeMed is postponing the planned panel discussion about securing federal SBIR/STTR grants with National Institutes of Health staffers.

Originally scheduled for Friday, October 24, the hour-long discussion was set to begin at noon.

UNeMed still hopes to host the event on a future date, and will announce those plans as soon as possible on UNeMed.com.

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Innovation Awards are tonight

October 22, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 22, 2025)—UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Week will reach it’s high-water mark tonight with the annual Research Innovation Awards Banquet at 5-8 p.m.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 19th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The Innovation Awards are invite-only and will be at the Scott Conference Center, at 6450 Pine Street.

The Awards will honor all UNMC and UNO inventors who disclosed a new invention, received an issued U.S. patent, or had their technology licensed during the previous fiscal year. Special awards for Emerging Inventor, Faculty Entrepreneur, Innovation Champion, Startup of the Year and the Most Promising New Invention of 2025 will also be presented.

Innovation Week will continue tomorrow evening with Idea Pub: Startup Showcase at 4-6 p.m. at the Omaha Catalyst Forge Event Hall.

Sponsored in partnership with UNeTech Institute and NUTech Ventures, the Startup Showcase will feature several short presentations featuring new companies built around Nebraska innovations in healthcare. The event is open and free to all, but guests are asked to register here.

A panel discussion hosted by the National Institutes of Health is set for Friday, Oct. 24. Five panelists from the NIH will discuss non-dilutive funding opportunities for academic researchers and innovators interested in pursuing the small business grant program. The discussion will be a virtual event, held via Teams. To register go here. Nebraska researchers are also encouraged to pre-book one-on-one meetings with NIH panelists here.

Finally, Innovation Week concludes on Saturday with startup launch party for FamilyRoom.health, a new company built by UNMC nurse, Breanna Hetland, PhD. The party will be at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs at 4-7 p.m. The evening will feature more information about the growing startup company, along with art, music and refreshments. To register and learn more about the launch party, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burden-bloom-tickets-1664576074849.

All events are free and open to the public, but the Awards reception is by invitation only. Further details can be found on UNeMed’s Innovation Week page.

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Innovation Week continues with Inventors Grove

October 21, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 21, 2025)—UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Week continues this morning with Inventors Grove at 7-8:30 a.m.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 19th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Sponsored by UNeMed and the Nebraska Research Initiative, Inventors Grove is a weekly support group, open to anyone who might have an idea for a new invention but don’t know what comes next. People are encourage to drop in at any time to meet experienced inventors and mentors who will be there to provide guidance, fellowship, support and inspiration to anyone curious about navigating the innovation process.

Innovation Week will continue tomorrow evening with the Innovation Awards at the Scott Conference Center, at 6450 Pine Street. An invitation-only event, the Awards will honor all UNMC and UNO inventors who disclosed a new invention, received an issued U.S. patent, or had their technology licensed during the previous fiscal year. Special awards for Emerging Inventor, Faculty Entrepreneur, Innovation Champion, Startup of the Year and the Most Promising New Invention of 2025 will also be presented.

Innovation Week will continue Thursday, Oct. 23 with Idea Pub: Startup Showcase at 4-6 p.m. at the Omaha Catalyst Forge Event Hall. Sponsored in partnership with UNeTech Institute and NUTech Ventures, the Startup Showcase will feature several short presentations featuring new companies built around Nebraska innovations in healthcare. The event is open and free to all, but guests are asked to register here.

A panel discussion hosted by the National Institutes of Health is set for Friday, Oct. 24. Five panelists from the NIH will discuss non-dilutive funding opportunities for academic researchers and innovators interested in pursuing the small business grant program. The discussion will be a virtual event, held via Teams. To register go here. Nebraska researchers are also encouraged to pre-book one-on-one meetings with NIH panelists here.

Finally, Innovation Week concludes on Saturday with startup launch party for FamilyRoom.health, a new company built by UNMC nurse, Breanna Hetland, PhD. The party will be at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs at 4-7 p.m. The evening will feature more information about the growing startup company, along with art, music and refreshments. To register and learn more about the launch party, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burden-bloom-tickets-1664576074849.

All events are free and open to the public, but the Awards reception is by invitation only. Further details can be found on UNeMed’s Innovation Week page.

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Innovation Week kicks off today

October 20, 2025 Comments (0) Innovation Week, News Like

OMAHA, Nebraska (October 20, 2025)—UNeMed’s 2025 Innovation Week begins this morning with an open house at 9 a.m. in the Durham Research Center atrium.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, the 19th annual Innovation Week celebrates and recognizes the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Today’s Kick-off event will feature snacks, coffee, T-shirts and other freebies, along with a chance for attendees to meet UNeMed staff.

On Tuesday, Oct. 21, UNeMed and the Nebraska Research Initiative will host Inventors Grove, a weekly support group, at 7-8:30 a.m. People are encouraged to drop in at any time. Experienced inventors will be there to provide guidance, fellowship, support and inspiration to anyone curious about navigating the innovation process.

The Innovation Awards will be held on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the Scott Conference Center, at 6450 Pine Street. An invitation-only event, the Awards will honor all UNMC and UNO inventors who disclosed a new invention, received an issued U.S. patent, or had their technology licensed during the previous fiscal year. Special awards for Emerging Inventor, Faculty Entrepreneur, Innovation Champion, Startup of the Year and the Most Promising New Invention of 2025 will also be presented.

Innovation Week will continue on Thursday, Oct. 23 with Idea Pub: Startup Showcase at 4-6 p.m. at the Omaha Catalyst Forge Event Hall. Sponsored in partnership with UNeTech Institute and NUTech Ventures, the Startup Showcase will feature several short presentations featuring new companies built around Nebraska innovations in healthcare. The event is open and free to all, but guests are asked to register here.

A panel discussion hosted by the National Institutes of Health is set for Friday, Oct. 24. Five panelists from the NIH will discuss non-dilutive funding opportunities for academic researchers and innovators interested in pursuing the small business grant program. The discussion will be a virtual event, held via Teams. To register go here. Nebraska researchers are also encouraged to pre-book one-on-one meetings with NIH panelists here.

Finally, Innovation Week concludes on Saturday with startup launch party for FamilyRoom.health, a new company built by UNMC nurse, Breanna Hetland, PhD. The party will be at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs at 4-7 p.m. The evening will feature more information about the growing startup company, along with art, music and refreshments. To register and learn more about the launch party, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burden-bloom-tickets-1664576074849.

All events are free and open to the public, but the Awards reception is by invitation only. Further details can be found on UNeMed’s Innovation Week page.

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1. Innovation Week

2. Idea Pub: Morning Edition

3. UNeMed releases 2025 Annual Report

4. UNeMed launches startup incubator ‘The Furnace’

5. Design Thinking workshop tackles patient falls

6. Boot Camp

7. VIC featured in Fast Company

8. Nebraska ranks No. 82 in world for U.S. patents

9. SPN: MicroWash product launches nationwide

10. BIRD Grant

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