The first cohort of the 2026 Steel Works Health Accelerator are (front, left to right) Steve Salzbrenner, Tim Crane, Ronald Krueger, (back) Kirk Zeller, Ashok Puri, Shiela Fields, Beth Beam, Marcia Shade, Ed O’Leary. Not Pictured: Chris Henkenius.
OMAHA, Nebraska (March 4, 2026)—Six Nebraska-based startup companies and their founders have been selected to join the Steel Works Health Accelerator in its first cohort, officials announced today.
Members of the first cohort are:
- Tim Crane & Beth Beam, RedSentrix
- Ronald Krueger & Ashok Puri, Deep Health Diagnostics, LLC
- Ed O’Leary, Aprendo Cardiovascular Solutions
- Steve Salzbrenner & Chris Henkenius, BreezMed
- Marcia Shade, Voice-IT, Inc.
- Shiela Fields, RxNex Solutions, Inc.
A new position, Resident Mentor, was also created within the accelerator. That role that will be filled by Kirk Zeller, founder of GapZero NEURO Inc.
“It’s incredible to reflect on how fast this came together,” said Tyler Scherr, PhD, Managing Director and UNeMed’s Business Development Manager. “Just a few short months ago, the Steel Works Health Accelerator was only an idea on paper.”
UNeMed secured the grant funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration and built Steel Works in partnership with UNeTech Institute, the University’s startup incubator program, and CQuence Health, a local venture organization focused on healthcare-related startups.
“There’s absolutely no way we could have moved this quickly from vision to reality without the exceptional partnership and unwavering commitment from our collaborators at UNeTech Institute and CQuence Health,” Dr. Scherr said. “Their expertise, shared vision, and tireless teamwork turned what could have taken years into a matter of months.”
Steel Works is a three-month, hands-on mentoring program for early stage healthtech and medical startup companies built around emerging University of Nebraska innovations. The curriculum, developed and led by CQuence Health, will include workshops, coaching and mentoring.
Founders who complete the program are expected to emerge with a completed SBIR/STTR Grant application; a refined pitch deck and one-pager; a sound advisory and go-to-market strategy; and deeper connections within Nebraska’s entrepreneurial network.
Learn more about the Steel Works Health Accelerator at https://www.unemed.com/steel-works-health-accelerator.
