When Teucer Diagnostics began evaluating where to grow as an early-stage biotech company, the Greater Omaha region stood out for reasons that went beyond geography.
Omaha offered a combination of world-class healthcare expertise, collaborative startup culture and practical business advantages that made it the right fit for a growing health technology company.
Teucer Diagnostics, a molecular diagnostics startup focused on early cardiovascular disease detection, is currently working alongside researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to develop a urine-based test that could help identify vascular injury years earlier than existing screening methods.
CEO Evan Luxon said Omaha’s healthcare ecosystem has already played a significant role in the company’s progress.
“The expertise at UNMC for what we need specifically is world class,” Luxon said. “It’s been a great scientific partnership.”
Teucer Diagnostics’ founders ultimately chose Omaha after visiting the region and meeting local healthcare and business leaders.
“When they came to town, they toured the facilities and met with the local business leaders,” Luxon said. “They decided to base the company here based on the strength of the ecosystem and the business environment and the quality of our workforce.”
For healthcare companies evaluating expansion or relocation opportunities, Omaha’s collaborative environment stands out.
Operating from the Catalyst building nearby UNMC, Teucer Diagnostics is surrounded by other startups, researchers and healthcare innovators working to grow the region’s health technology ecosystem together.
“There’s just this very energetic, collaborative community around early-stage companies,” Luxon said. “It feels like a very team sport in the sense that everyone is working together to build the ecosystem.”
That sense of accessibility and cooperation has created an environment where emerging companies can quickly build connections and find support.
“Everyone is very willing to help out, make connections, and act as a sounding board,” Luxon said. “The sense of the community has been very solid.”
In addition to collaboration opportunities, Luxon pointed to Omaha’s affordability as a meaningful business advantage, especially for early-stage companies focused on maximizing investment capital.
“The capital can go a lot further in Nebraska,” Luxon said.
Having previously worked in San Francisco’s startup and medical device ecosystem, Luxon said the operational cost differences are significant. Lower facility costs and reduced overhead allow healthcare startups to invest more resources into research, talent and commercialization efforts.
As the company continues to grow, Luxon said Omaha’s workforce will remain another important advantage.
“We have great talent,” he said. “People take pride in what they do and are good to work with. It’s just an excellent place to hire from.”