The Omaha Medical Technology Pipeline (OMTP) launched in 2019 as a transformative initiative in Nebraska’s medical innovation landscape. The project united the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Nebraska Business Development Center, Metropolitan Community College (MCC), and the Omaha Chamber of Commerce through a $750,000 matching grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s i6 Challenge program. Led by UNeTech’s executive director, Dr. Rod Markin, the initiative aimed to bridge the gap between Omaha’s world-class clinical expertise and commercialization opportunities. The project came to fruition after three persistent grant applications from the UNeTech Institute. Working with UNeMed, Metropolitan Community College, and the University of Nebraska Omaha, their vision sought to harness Omaha’s impressive medical resources to invent, build, and commercialize new medical devices.
The program set ambitious initial targets to process 60 medical technology inventions and launch 25 companies while creating opportunities for students and professionals in the region. These goals reflected UNeTech’s confidence in Omaha’s medical innovation potential, backed by support from over 30 community organizations and business leaders. The project addressed a critical need in Omaha’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing the programmatic oversight necessary to align and guide the commercialization process. Dr. Markin and his team positioned OMTP to transform promising medical concepts into practical, life-saving solutions. The initiative’s comprehensive approach aimed to create lasting impact through patent filings, job creation, and student engagement in fields like 3D design and rapid prototyping.
In 2024, the original EDA grant creating the Omaha Medical Technology Pipeline (OMTP) concluded, but it marks not an ending but a transformation. Through a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with Metropolitan Community College (MCC), the critical prototyping capabilities established under OMTP will continue through at least 2026. This enduring partnership, centered at MCC’s Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology, ensures that medical innovators in Omaha will continue to have access to vital prototyping resources that helped launch successful startups like RespirAI, Remote ICU, and University Medical Devices.
The OMTP’s legacy extends beyond prototype development. The program demonstrated how structured support could transform medical innovations into market-ready solutions, with over 93 projects advancing through the invention phase and more than 60 medical device inventions developed. These successes helped establish a dynamic network connecting entrepreneurs, investors, inventors, and makers – a network that continues to thrive beyond the grant period.
This commitment to sustainability has become a cornerstone of UNeTech’s pipeline strategy. As the Omaha Virtual Reality Pipeline (OVRP) introduces specialized expertise in VR development and agile project management, plans are already underway to ensure its continuation beyond the grant period. While details remain under wraps, UNeTech has secured preliminary commitments from key partners to maintain the OVRP’s critical functions well into the future.
The proposed Omaha AI Pipeline (OAIP) follows this same philosophy of building for the long term. The extraordinary coalition supporting the OAIP – including Nebraska Medicine, Children’s Nebraska, Methodist Health System, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska – reflects not just the immediate potential of AI in healthcare but a long-term commitment to sustaining these capabilities within the region.
Each iteration of the pipeline program has demonstrated how initial federal investment can catalyze lasting change. RespirAI’s $1 million raise and pursuit of a $3 million Series A round, along with University Medical Devices’ $1.5 million investment, show how pipeline support creates sustainable ventures that continue to grow independently.
As these programs evolve, they’re designed not just for immediate impact but for long-term sustainability. The OMTP’s successful transition to an ongoing MCC collaboration provides a model for future pipelines, ensuring that each new capability – whether in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, or future technologies – becomes permanently embedded in Omaha’s healthcare innovation ecosystem. With new pipeline concepts under development and existing programs finding sustainable paths forward, this model promises to drive healthcare innovation in Omaha well beyond any individual grant period.
Through careful planning and strong partnerships, these pipelines are transforming from time-limited programs into permanent features of Omaha’s innovation landscape, creating enduring pathways for healthcare advancement in the region.
