Bioscience Summit 2026 Recap: Ideas, Connections, and the Next Generation
On October 21, nearly 300 of people from more than 15 different states and as far away as Singapore and South Korea gathered at the Avalon Events Center in Fargo for the 2026 Bioscience Summit.
The Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (GFMEDC) presented the fourth annual Summit with co-hosts BioTech Association of North Dakota (BioTechND), NDSU and ND Department of Commerce. The goal was to bring researchers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and students into one room to learn, connect, and collaborate.
Here is a look back at the day.
Sessions: Putting Data and Research to Work
The day opened with a keynote and panel on how the U.S. health system approaches chronic disease. Sessions followed on GLP-1 research, building biotech ecosystems, medical device innovation, and more.
“This year’s theme bent further towards healthcare outcomes than previous summits because of amazing research collaborations taking place among ecosystem partners like NDSU, UND, Sanford, and Eli Lilly to address chronic disease management and patient outcomes. We of course still covered some recurring themes like medical device technology, biotech ecosystem building, and featuring amazing innovation and capabilities being developed in the biotech space throughout the region,” said Ryan Aasheim, Chief Business Development Officer, GFMEDC.
Attendees took a lot away from them. One college student said the “Midwest MedTech: Scaling Lifesaving Device Innovation” session inspired them to “innovate with meaning.” The “Effects of GLP-1: NDSU and Sanford Health Research Update” session showed them how undergraduates can get involved in research outside their own institutions.
HEALING 2026 Pitch Competition
HEALING 2026, the healthcare pitch competition from Neurogether Ventures Foundation, ran as an official track of the Summit, in partnership with GFMEDC.
Finalists from North Dakota and Minnesota took the stage to pitch live for a pool of cash and in-kind prizes:
- Ross Goodsell, The 2 Second Tourniquet
- Felisha Fox, LilyPAD
- Keairo Debeltz, Strong Motion Medical
- Lina Bouakkaz, InvisiScale
- Bappa Ghosh, Detectology
- Mustafa Fakhri, Dirt Dive
Congratulations to Ross Goodsell and the 2 Second Tourniquet, the winner of HEALING 2026!
HEALING exists to give early-stage healthcare, bioscience, and med-tech founders a real shot in front of investors and industry leaders. That kind of support helps the region keep promising companies close to home.
Career Exploration: Connecting Students to Bioscience
While sessions ran in the main ballroom, the Career Exploration Event in the exhibit hall connected more than 175 area high school and college students with bioscience companies and higher education programs. Students met exhibitors, asked questions, and learned about career paths they can pursue in the region.
Students left with more than information. One attendee said the biggest takeaway was how many ways their technical skills transfer into bioscience. Their data analytics background, for example, connects to paths like bioinformatics and clinical research.
Day Two: Company and Partner Tours
On October 22, attendees joined five tours of regional bioscience companies and partners. Stops included:
- Genovac: advanced antibody discovery and development tools
- NDSU’s Dr. Thomas Glass Biotech Innovation Core: advanced research capabilities
- NDeavor: full support for entrepreneurs
- Houser Labs: lab and incubator space that is under construction and coming soon
- VerumGen: biotech labs
The tours showed how the region supports innovation at every stage, from the lab to the startup to the growing company.
What We Heard
The feedback was consistent. One attendee wrote, “I didn’t happen upon Fargo, Fargo happened upon me, and we are richer for having Fargo in our lives.” Another left “with a lot to think about and connections to foster.” Both reflect what we hope the Summit offers: a chance to build relationships that last beyond the event.
Thank You
Thank you to every speaker, panelist, finalist, exhibitor, sponsor, tour host, and student who took part helping make the Summit a success.
Want to be involved next year? Contact the GFMEDC team or visit www.biosciencesummit.com for updates.
