OMAHA, Nebraska (October 23, 2023)—UNeMed Corporation’s 17th annual Innovation Week kicks off Monday, Oct. 30, and will celebrate and recognize the world-class research and discovery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Hosted by UNeMed, the technology transfer and commercialization office for UNMC and UNO, Innovation Week begins with an open house 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, in the Durham Research Center atrium. The week culminates with the UNMC Research Innovation Awards Banquet Thursday, Nov. 2.

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

Monday’s Kick-off event will feature doughnuts, coffee, T-shirts and other freebies, along with a chance for attendees to meet UNeMed staff.

On Tuesday, Oct. 31, at noon, UNeMed will host an hour-long virtual seminar, “Regulatory Insights.” Margaret Kober, a project manager with the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, will share her insights, tips and strategies for Investigational New Drug Applications and the review process. Anyone may join the session via Zoom at https://bit.ly/Iweek23FDAinsights.

Two additional events are planned for Wednesday, Nov. 1.

First, at 9-10 a.m., UNeMed hosts a panel discussion, “Women Innovators,” where three successful University of Nebraska inventors will share their experiences with creating, developing and commercializing an innovation. Coffee and doughnuts will be available to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Panelists will include Elizabeth Bream, PhD, associate professor in the College of Nursing; Rebekah Gundry, PhD, Chair of UNMC’s Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology; and Breanna Hetland, PhD, an assistant professor in UNMC’s College of Nursing.

Later that day, beginning at 4:30 p.m., UNeMed will host, “Idea Pub: Startup Pitch Showcase,” in the Wigton Heritage Center atrium. The Startup Showcase will run about two hours, and will highlight a handful of recent and successful startup companies that were all founded on innovations developed by University inventors. Free drinks will be provided, along with excellent networking opportunities to meet local entrepreneurs, investors, inventors and other members of the local startup community.

Innovation Week concludes on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 2, with the Innovation Awards at Hilton Omaha, located near 10th and Cass Streets in downtown Omaha.

An invitation-only event, the Awards will honor all UNMC and UNO inventors who disclosed a new invention, received a U.S. patent, or had their technology licensed during the previous fiscal year. UNeMed will also present special awards recognizing an Emerging Inventor, the Most Promising New Invention of the Year, and a Startup of the Year.