Welcome to the 8th Annual Minnesota Cup

Dear Minnesota Cup Participants and Organizers: 

Welcome to the eighth annual Minnesota Cup!

The Minnesota Cup celebrates and encourages the unique character that makes Minnesota a special place to do business.  From our rich history of entrepreneurship to our impressive list of Fortune 500 companies, Minnesota is where great ideas become great companies.  The Minnesota Cup is helping keep the tradition alive, attracting more than 6,000 entries since 2005.  The contest is now the largest statewide new venture competition in the country.

Many fresh ideas and promising companies have emerged from this contest over the years, including AUM Cardiovascular, the 2011 Grand Prize Winner that developed a handheld device that can detect clogged arteries in less than 20 seconds.  Other past winners include EarthClean, which is helping to change how the world fights fires; Pursuit Vascular, which is making dialysis less dangerous for kidney patients; and Wilcraft, which is making ice fishing safer for outdoor enthusiasts.

When I read about these and other promising businesses, I can't help but be impressed.  Minnesotans are tinkerers and innovators, dreamers and entrepreneurs, who see opportunities in great ideas and pursue ways to bring them to the marketplace.

I am also impressed by the widespread support the business community, academia, and government have given this competition.  It is a good example of how public and private partnerships are helping encourage new business development in Minnesota.  The contest was founded and continues to be hosted by the University of Minnesota, Wells Fargo, and the State of Minnesota.  Additional lead sponsors include General Mills and Carlson and UnitedHealth Group, which is new to the competition this year. 

Good luck to this year's competitors!  I look forward to learning the next round of Minnesota Cup winners in September.

My best regards. 

Mark Dayton