April 8, 2026

This piece is sponsored by South Dakota Biotech.

The national conversation about the strategic importance of biotechnology is accelerating – and South Dakota is at the center of it.

South Dakota Biotech executive director Joni Ekstrum recently was invited to join the Biotech Across America State Symposium in Washington, D.C., to discuss the strategic importance of strong state and local biotechnology ecosystems in bolstering national security and economic resilience.

The symposium is a continuation of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology’s Biotech Across America Roadshow — an ongoing effort to highlight the companies, places and people shaping the future of U.S. biotechnology around the United States.

 The event was organized in partnership with the Federation of American Scientists and the Engineering Biology Research Consortium.

“Biotechnology has arrived at a critical moment, and it’s essential that our state’s voice is amplified,” Ekstrum said.

“With the advent of artificial intelligence, multiple industries increasingly as being reshaped by biotech, including health care, agriculture and energy. South Dakota is uniquely positioned to support the needs of this industry through our infrastructure, workforce and business-friendly climate.”

Strengthening the sector also is key to national security, she added.

“Our state and federal leaders in South Dakota have grasped the importance of this for years and positioned our higher education, research and business communities to meet this need,” Ekstrum said.

“These are conversations I’m excited and proud to have at a national level.”

State and regional initiatives are key to supporting the broader U.S. biotechnology industry, particularly in building workforce pipelines, supporting commercialization and fostering greater bioliteracy, event organizers said.

“As the NSCEB has traveled around the country, we’ve discovered biotech stakeholders turning local ingenuity and talent into national strength at every stop,” NSCEB vice chair Michelle Rozo said.

“The hard work and dedication represented at the Biotech Across America State Symposium prove that regional biotech ecosystems are the foundation for durable economic resilience. But there is more work to be done at the federal, state and local level, and biotech voices from every corner of the nation will play a vital role in maintaining the U.S. position as the global biotechnology leader.”

The Biotech Across America State Symposium built on the NSCEB’s Biotech Across America Roadshow by bringing together senior state and regional leaders from across the United States.

By convening leaders with direct experience shaping biotechnology ecosystems, the symposium aims to create a forum for comparing approaches, identifying shared challenges and highlighting strategies that can be adapted or scaled across different states.

Representatives were invited from all 50 states to discuss ideas in three cross-cutting areas: talent pipeline development, commercialization efforts and bioliteracy programs.

“It was an exceptionally valuable event, and I was proud to share South Dakota’s progress, including supporting early‑stage companies through South Dakota FAST Launch to strengthening statewide biomanufacturing capacity and advancing policies that accelerate innovation,” Ekstrum said.

“Engaging in a national forum like this ensures South Dakota’s ecosystem both contributes to and learns from the best practices shaping America’s biotech future.”

As she returns to South Dakota, Ekstrum said there are several key takeaways at a national level.

“It highlighted for me the continued need to build talent, commercialization pathways and awareness of the broad-based impact of our industry,” she said.

“This is a critical moment for biotechnology nationwide, but the industry is stepping up to meet it, and there’s no reason South Dakota can’t be a leader in that effort.”