Minnesota Cup 2012 - PreciouStatus, Julie Gilbert-Newrai
Minnesota Cup 2012 - Envirolastech, Paul Schmitt
Minnesota Cup 2012 - Life Floor, Jonathan Keller and Spencer Howell
Minnesota Cup 2012 - OrthoCor Medical, John Dinusson
Welcome to the Minnesota Cup!The Largest Statewide New Venture Competition |
The Minnesota Cup has advanced 57 teams of entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators to the second round of the 2013 competition. Almost 1,100 Minnesotans entered the ninth annual Minnesota Cup, a statewide contest designed to accelerate the development of innovative business ideas. Semifinalists in six categories will now compete for their share of $200,000 and the chance to bring their entrepreneurial vision to life.
View the 2013 Minnesota Cup Semi-Finalists.
Read the 2013 Semi-Finalist Press Release.
Division Winners at 2012 Final Awards Event (Credit: Craig Bares for Twin Cities Business)
Innovative medical device, animal health, biotech and health technology ideas.
Innovative ideas, technologies and products that strive to create solutions to society’s environmental issues.
Innovative products, services and solutions in manufacturing, recreation, education and all other ideas.
Innovative web 2.0, mobile, software and hardware ideas.
Innovative solutions to society's most pressing social problems.
For full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students attending a college or university in Minnesota and who are between the ages of 19 and 30 and have less than 5 years of work experience.
Minnesota Cup Supplements
Each year, Twin Cities Business provides enhanced coverage of the Minnesota Cup through a 16 page supplement. To the right are supplements from the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 competitions that can be downloaded as PDF's.
Success Stories
As the Minnesota Cup program grows and evolves, one of the most important themes is that the program works. Many past finalist and semi-finalist have met investors, advisors, board members, business partners and business professionals through various Minnesota Cup events, the semi-final reception, the awards event in the fall and through media attention they have received during and after the competition.
Whether it's 2005 finalist HealthSimple who went on to successfully sell their business to Johnson & Johnson, 2006 winner VAST Enterprises and their growth including a partnership with Fabcon or 2009 winner Alvenda who closed on their series A round soon after the competition ended, we hear stories of past entrants that have had great success since participating in the Minnesota Cup.
