Summit

Twenty Years of Progress: Building South Dakota’s Biotech Ecosystem

Joni Ekstrum, executive director South Dakota Botech

Joni Ekstrum serves as executive director of South Dakota Biotech. She oversees its advocacy, communication, education, and membership services, representing more than 60 members in industries from food and agriculture to human health and renewable energy.

Since she assumed this role in 2012, Ekstrum has grown the membership and increased gross profit while maintaining and expanding membership benefits. Her collaborative approach has provided connections for networking and led to new business and partnering opportunities for both members and individuals. Her passion for the industry and charismatic personality have helped build relationships with other states and parent organization BIO, legislators, other advocacy groups, venture capital, economic development, and other industry partners.

Anniversary Keynote: From Research to Results: South Dakota's Role in America's Innovation Future

MODERATOR

Jodi Schwan, owner SiouxFalls.business
Jodi Schwan is a next-generation media leader. Based in Sioux Falls, S.D., she is the founder of Align Content Studio, providing content strategy, production and distribution to clients in a broad range of industries. She also develops and oversees Align's original content brands including www.SiouxFalls.business. Jodi is a former editor, broadcaster and columnist who also is a frequently requested public speaker.

Jodi knows Sioux Falls business. From the latest deals to the biggest decision-makers, she’s the best source for local developments.

Jodi excels at content strategy designed to build and engage audiences. From video storytelling to news distribution, she knows how to reach people in an increasingly cluttered marketplace.

AI at Work: Practical Integration Strategies for Biotech Operations

MODERATOR

Vice President of Research and Economic Development and Professor of Digital Forensics at Dakota State University

South Dakota Biotech Board Member
Dr. Ashley Podhradsky is the Vice President for Research & Economic Development at Dakota State University and a nationally recognized leader in cybersecurity. She brings a strategic vision to research growth, economic impact, and industry collaboration—both on campus and beyond.

She also serves on the Board of Directors for First Bank & Trust, where she applies her expertise to strengthen cybersecurity and innovation in the financial sector.

A frequent keynote speaker at major national conferences, Dr. Podhradsky has led research teams that have secured nearly $20 million in competitive grant funding from organizations like the National Security Agency, National Science Foundation, Google, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

She co-founded CybHER, a cybersecurity outreach program that’s introduced thousands of students—especially girls—to opportunities in technology. Her efforts have raised nearly $2 million to support hands-on learning, mentorship, and pipeline development from elementary school through college.

Her accomplishments have earned her numerous honors, including the EmBe “Young Woman of Achievement” award, the Merrill Hunter Award for Excellence in Research, and recognition as a New America Cybersecurity Fellow in both 2017 and 2018. In 2019, she was named an AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador, and her legacy was immortalized with a life-size statue in the Smithsonian, celebrating her as one of 120 pioneering women in STEM.

Founder Readiness: The IP, Finance and Partnership Decisions That Can Make or Break a Company

MODERATOR

Jamison Rounds, J.D., CVA, CM&AA Managing Partner, Value Visor LLC & Value Visor Business Sales and Real Estate
South Dakota Biotech Board Member
Jamison is a seasoned attorney, mediator, and Certified Valuation Analyst with over 20 years in business development and transactions. A former mayor of Crooks, SD (2015–2019), he has advised on major public and private deals, including the Homestake Gold Mine acquisition and the Gluco Boy™/Bayer Didget® exit. He’s represented clients in industries ranging from health care and distilleries to aviation and franchises.

An educator and entrepreneur, Jamison has taught at the University of South Dakota and chaired Mount Marty University’s Business Department, focusing on government-business intersections, ethics, and entrepreneurship. A Truman Scholar and award-winning M&A advisor, he is managing partner of Rounds International LLC and Value Visor, and is married with four children.

The Next 20 Years of Possibility: Building South Dakota’s Biotech Future

MODERATOR

FIVEFOUR
South Dakota Biotech Board Member

Nathan Schock is a life-long learner and content creator, fully engaged in the experience economy. Nathan is an entrepreneur, who has worked in business, politics, private equity and higher education. He is in flow when he has to learn something new to teach others.

At FiveFour, Nathan walks leaders of growing companies through a proprietary 4D Transformation Method. We Define their Culture, Design their Experience, Develop their Team and Drive Results. More details in my summary above.

The Next Chapter: Turning Possibility into Progress

Dr. Mark Stowers, Co-Founder and General Partner, South Dakota First Capital

South Dakota Biotech Board President

Dr. Mark Stowers is the Biotech Executive of The Global Bluefish Company, LLC, a global management and financial advisory company which focuses on de-risking agriculture, food, bioproducts, and bioenergy and chemical businesses globally. It provides diverse business and technical guidance encompassing research management, product development, business development, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, corporate finance and general management.

Mark was most recently Chief Operations Officer and President of North America at Inari Agriculture, an emerging gene editing and computational seed design company targeting improved yield and resiliency of corn, soybean and wheat. While at Inari, he was responsible for the early-stage set-up of the company, its product development, the development and launch of the company’s “go to market” strategy, information technology, and its seed supply chain.

Previously he held senior executive positions in the research and business development areas at Limagrain, POET and Monsanto (now Bayer Crop Science). He has also worked to commercialize new biotechnologies and helped new business start-ups as President and CEO of MBI International and the Bio-Business Incubator of Michigan. He was the co-founder of Draths Corporation and the UCDavis-HM.Clause Life Sciences Innovation Center. Over the last twenty-five years he led/supported equity and debt financings of over $2 billion including a $200+ million IPO.

Dr. Stowers holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from North Carolina State University (1982) and completed post-doctoral studies at the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University (1983). He is a NC State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Distinguished Alumnus (2003). He (as the principal from HM.Clause) is the recipient of the UC Davis Chancellor’s award Innovative Community Partner award (2016). He has served on numerous company, not-for-profit, and university boards and advisory committees.

About South Dakota First Capital
South Dakota First Capital Group is an emerging investment firm that seeks to invest in clever, gritty, and charismatic team's working on compelling businesses in South Dakota and the Upper Midwest of the United States. The firm further leverages the strong business, governmental affairs, and scientific/technical expertise of its Partners to create dynamic opportunities for its portfolio companies.

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Twenty Years of Progress: Building South Dakota’s Biotech Ecosystem

A look back at the people, organizations, investments, and milestones that helped shape South Dakota's biotech community over the past 20 years.

Anniversary Keynote: From Research to Results — South Dakota's Role in America's Innovation Future

Risk, Resilience & the Next 20 Years: A National Security Perspective for Biotech Leaders

A discussion of research security, supply chains, cybersecurity, resilience, and the evolving global environment surrounding biotechnology and innovation.

AI at Work: Practical Integration Strategies for Biotech Operations

The Next 20 Years of Possibility: Building South Dakota's Biotech Future

20th Anniversary Awards & Recognition Luncheon

Celebrate the founders, collaborators, innovators, companies, and partners who have helped build South Dakota's biotech community. The luncheon will include anniversary reflections, awards, special recognitions, and stories from throughout South Dakota Biotech's history.

Innovation Connections: Meet the People Building the Next 20 Years

Built Here: Candid CEO Stories from South Dakota's Biotech Journey

Biotech leaders share the real stories behind building companies in South Dakota—from securing capital and navigating regulatory pathways to finding talent, building partnerships, managing risk, and turning innovation into real-world impact.

Founder Readiness: The IP, Finance & Partnership Decisions That Can Make or Break a Company

Experts in intellectual property, investment, and commercialization discuss the decisions founders should address early to position their companies for growth.

The Next Chapter: Turning Possibility into Progress

A closing reflection on the ideas shared throughout the Summit and the role each attendee can play in shaping South Dakota's next 20 years of biotech innovation.

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2026 LUNCHEON SPONSOR

POET’s vision is to create a world in sync with nature. As the world’s largest producer of biofuel and a global leader in sustainable bioproducts, POET creates plant-based alternatives to fossil fuels that unleash the regenerative power of agriculture and cultivate opportunities for America’s farm families. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Sioux Falls, POET operates 34 bioprocessing facilities across eight states and employs more than 2,400 team members. With a suite of bioproducts that includes high-quality animal feed, corn oil, green asphalt rejuvenator, purified alcohol, and renewable CO2, POET nurtures an unceasing commitment to innovation and advances powerful, practical solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Today, POET holds more than 100 patents worldwide and continues to break new ground in biotechnology, yielding lower-carbon, more efficient renewable energy and bioproducts.

2026 LUNCHEON SPONSOR

For over 60 years, it´s been our business to help better your business. Since 1954, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation (SFDF) has been leading the way in creating one of the most vibrant, secure, and growing economies in the nation. Founded by a group of far-sighted business leaders, the SFDF is a non-profit economic development corporation with the mission of improving the economy of the Sioux Falls region. We connect businesses with the tools and resources they need to be successful.
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2026 BREAKFAST SPONSOR

The University of South Dakota is a vibrant setting of innovation artistry and discovery, with research and creative activity opportunities in all disciplines across campus. USD researchers collaborate with industry professionals to bring new technologies to market as well as carrying out fundamental research in order to elucidate physical processes, improve human health, and protect the environment. In addition to individual research, the university hosts multi-disciplinary competitive research centers that foster academic excellence and spur economic growth. Biomedical engineering, chemistry, and physics are the main pillars of USD’s materials research; key research strengths and facilities within this area include the Center for Ultra-low Background Experiments in Dakotas (CUBED), Graduate Education and Applied Research Center (GEAR), and Center for Security Printing and Anti-Counterfeiting Technologies (SPACT). USD is also home to the state's only medical school. Sanford School of Medicine faculty members teach students the latest techniques and skills for a career in biomedical research. Critical biomedical research areas include anatomy and structural biology, cancer biology, immunology, cardiovascular sciences, microbiology, neuroscience, rural healthcare, pharmacology and physiology, among others. Key research groups and facilities include: South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN), Neuroscience & Nanotechnology Network (USD-N3), Center for Brain & Behavior Research (CBBRe) and USD’s two biomedical cores: Behavioral Core and Physiology Core.

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2026 NETWORKING SPONSOR

South Dakota State University is the state’s leader in the creation and dissemination of knowledge through research, development and innovation. Whether it’s through in-house R&D or partnerships with industry leaders designed to give students hands-on experience, SDSU ensures graduates will make an immediate impact on the rapidly evolving biotech industry.

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EXHIBITOR

DRACO Startup Studio, Inc. is a mission-driven innovation engine that partners with bold thinkers to transform breakthrough biotech and medical device concepts into viable, fundable, and scalable ventures.

EXHIBITOR

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