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Launch Minnesota Newsletter: December 2022 Edition

Innovation Grant Applications Closed

Launch Minnesota's $1.5M in funding for the fiscal year 2023 has been exhausted, and we are no longer accepting applications for Innovation Grants. We anticipate reopening the application window again in July 2023.

Since Launch Minnesota's inception, our program has received $18.84M in funding requests and awarded $6.4M to 187 unique grantees.

Learn more about Innovation Grants to prepare for the next application window.

SSBCI Webinar - Tuesday

DEED and the University of Minnesota will host a virtual session to share information about the Direct Investment and Multi-Fund Investment Programs, two venture capital programs offered by UMN investing in Minnesota-based seed- and early-stage businesses.

If you are interested in learning more, please use this Zoom link to attend our upcoming webinar on Tues., Dec. 20 at 1 p.m.

Visit DEED’s new Small Business Hub for the latest updates on SSBCI programs.

Walleye Tank Winner accepts giant check on stage for winning startup competition

Health FWD & Walleye Tank

Innovators from Minnesota and surrounding states gathered in Rochester on Dec. 2 for the first Health FWD Medical and Life Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference. The conference was a community showcase that brought together Mayo Clinic leaders, life science startups and entrepreneurs, investors, community organizations and others who aim to transform health care.

Health FWD also featured the winter edition of Walleye Tank, a startup pitch competition for medtech entrepreneurs. Walleye Tank was sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Office of Technology Commercialization and Mayo Clinic's Office of Entrepreneurship.

The Walleye Tank champions are:

Junior Anglers: The judges declared a tie between two teams, both from Mayo Clinic. The teams split a $4,000 prize.

The Home Dialysis Squad – A preventative wellness treatment designed to decrease infection in dialysis patients treated with central catheters. Presented by Stephanie Williams, an inpatient and outpatient dialysis nursing manager at Mayo Clinic in Florida.
Laxo Device – A tool designed to prevent drain blockages and related complications in patients after surgery. Presented by Michael Thorn, a trauma, critical care and general surgery nurse at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Mid-Level Reelers: Dan Que Pham, co-founder and CEO of ONCODEA, presented an artificial intelligence-enabled early cancer detection model designed to enable improved treatment and patient outcomes. The team took home a $6,000 prize.

Professionals: Christian Engstrom, CEO of Evia Bio, presented his company’s innovation designed to improve the cryopreservation of cells for use in therapeutics. This team took home a $10,000 prize.

Green Chemistry and Engineering Internship Grant

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is offering a grant to underwrite the cost of a 2023 Green Chemistry and Engineering Internship. The intern’s time can be applied to improving one or more of a company’s products or components, or to develop tools which support wider use or sales of products with green and safer chemistries.

MPCA encourages applicants to visit this page and view examples of possible projects and summaries of past grants.

Learn more

Join the Minnesota Exchange

The Minnesota Exchange, powered by local startup Kinetic, matches individuals from across the state for weekly one-on-one conversations to develop new business relationships and discover new startup resources.

In just over one year, the Minnesota Exchange has facilitated over 330 hours of conversation and has grown to more than 400 members.

Some of the organizations utilizing this platform include General Mills, Grow North and BETA. MN Exchange is helping entrepreneurs find the right resources at the right time in their startup journey

Join the MN Exchange today! Code to join: 1858

Friday Forum Archive

Launch Minnesota’s Friday Forums are an opportunity for Minnesota’s startup community to learn about new skills, growing industries and trends in technology. We hosted nine Friday Forums in 2022 with topics ranging from Web3 and Blockchain to legal assistance and polishing your pitch.

All of these sessions are archived on our site. Visit this page to watch all of our 2022 Friday Forums.

Topics for 2023 coming soon!