OMAHA, Neb. — Bio Innovations North America will host the first annual “Biomanufacturing Shark Tank” on Day Two of its 2026 edition. The pitch event is run in partnership with the NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine.
The competition takes place at 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday, 10 September. It follows the conference’s opening keynote on RuralSTAMINA. It is open to any start-up that relies on biomanufacturing inputs, develops new biomanufacturing technologies, or uses biomanufacturing to create its products.
Selected start-ups get three minutes to pitch. A panel of investors and industry funders, dubbed the “Sharks,” then get two minutes to ask questions. Each participating company also gets a table at the venue to showcase its products and hold meetings. Two winners will be chosen: one picked by the Sharks, one by the audience. Both will be announced at the close of the conference.
Nigel Reuel, CTO of the NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine, will host the session. It follows the 9:05 a.m. keynote on RuralSTAMINA, hosted by Maureen Larson, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. That keynote features Dan Hoffman, CEO of Invest Nebraska, and Dr Peter Dorhout, Vice President for Research at Iowa State University.
About RuralSTAMINA
RuralSTAMINA (Ascending Rural communities through Sustainable, Transformative, Advanced Manufacturing Innovations and Alliances) is an Iowa State University-led research initiative. In July 2026 it won a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines award, one of 12 selected nationwide. The award provides $15 million over two years, with up to $160 million available over 10 years for engines that meet research milestones.
RuralSTAMINA operates across Iowa and Nebraska, supporting agricultural producers and small and medium-sized manufacturers. Biomass conversion has traditionally targeted low-cost, high-volume fuels. RuralSTAMINA instead focuses on high-value specialty products, including coatings, pesticides, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, biologics, and animal vaccines. More than 70 public and private partners across both states are involved, including the University of Iowa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Southeast Community College, Des Moines Area Community College, BioConnect Iowa, the Iowa Biotechnology Association, and Invest Nebraska.
Dr Peter Dorhout, the project’s principal investigator, has said the effort will help turn agricultural production into value-added products and stimulate rural economic growth.
About Bio Innovations North America
Bio Innovations North America takes place 9-10 September 2026 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Now in its third year, the event is dedicated to scaling industrial biomanufacturing across the region. It connects bio-based developers and producers with chemical manufacturers, consumer brands, investors, community enablers, and suppliers through curated panels, keynotes, and a pre-arranged 1-2-1 meetings program. The 2026 edition is expected to host more than 400 attendees and facilitate over 800 pre-arranged commercial meetings.
Bio Innovations North America is organized by World Bio Markets Ltd, publisher of World Bio Market Insights.
Media contact:
Kevin Ward
kevin@worldbiomarkets.com
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