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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MINNESOTA’S TOP BREAKTHROUGH BUSINESS IDEA NAMED
CoreSpine Technologies, winner of the 4th Annual Minnesota Cup, to receive $50,000 in seed capital
Zipnosis takes $5,000 student entrepreneur prize
(Minneapolis) Sept. 12, 2008 – Last night, a company focused on developing advanced surgical devices for cartilage and nucleus removal of the spine was named “Minnesota’s Top Breakthrough Business Idea” and honored for its innovative concepts. Area business and educational leaders named CoreSpine Technologies the 4th Annual Minnesota Cup winner and awarded it a $50,000 prize.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as having this year’s most innovative business idea,” says Christine Horton, co-founder of CoreSpine Technologies. “The Minnesota Cup has enabled us to showcase our technology in front of so many influential leaders in the local business community. The validation from this prestigious competition will help us provide for the next generation of emerging spinal therapies.”
Led by Christine Horton and Britt Norton, CoreSpine Technologies will enable the next generation of emerging spinal therapies and will set the standard for preparing the spinal disc for implantation of an artificial disc nucleus and minimally invasive interbody fusion devices.
Launched in March 2005, the Minnesota Cup is a statewide contest that seeks out, supports and promotes Minnesota’s newest and most innovative business concepts. The program calls on inventors, business owners and members of the public across the state to submit a breakthrough business idea at www.minnesotacup.org.
This year’s competition was just shy of having 850 participants – the most in contest history. The finalists gathered last night in front of many of Minnesota’s finest and brightest business leaders at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center to share their breakthrough business ideas. At the ceremony, Zipnosis was named the student category winner for creating electronic visit software to allow patients and doctors to help make family practice doctors financially viable. The student award unearths and recognizes the business brains of the future at Minnesota colleges and universities.
“The Minnesota Cup has become an incubator for aspiring entrepreneurs in Minnesota,” said Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup co-chairman. “The quality of the business plans continues to improve each year and we are honored to have CoreSpine Technologies as this year’s overall winner. We’re excited to get next year’s competition up and running and look forward to next breakthrough business idea.”
Prize/Contest Details
CoreSpine Technologies receives the 4th Annual Minnesota Cup, $50,000 in seed capital, consulting by Wells Fargo and professionals from area law firms, accounting firms, PR & marketing, business organization services from the Maslon law firm, one year of access to “HillSearch” from the James J. Hill Reference Library, a scholarship to attend The Collaborative’s upcoming Minnesota Venture Finance Conference and a national news story over the ARA Content Network.
The second-place winner, MyWonderfulLife.com, receives $10,000. The third-place winner, Klodas Foods: Fibre and Beyond, receives $5,000. The second and third place winners also will receive business support services from contest sponsors. The student winner, Zipnosis, will receive $5,000.
Minnesota Cup organizers include area business leaders, the University of Minnesota and Wells Fargo. In June, judges selected 30 semi-finalists, who were asked to develop a more comprehensive business proposal. From those proposals, judges selected five finalists. Full finalist summaries are available below.
4th Annual Minnesota Cup Runners Up and Finalists
Runners-Up
2nd Place: MyWonderfulLife.com
Sue Kruskopf and Nancy Bush created this free Web site that allows members to plan and personalize their own funeral. MyWonderfulLife.com (MWL.com) eases the burden on the surviving loved ones as it eliminates the guesswork incorporated with funerals and allows greater time to grieve.
3rd Place: Klodas Foods: Fibre and Beyond
Elli Ansari, Barb Birr and Elizabeth Klodas are working together to produce physician-formulated premium whole natural and organic foods that address both general health maintenance and the dietary requirements of patients with specific chronic diseases. Fibre, the first Klodas Foods innovation, is a cardiologist-formulated organic food product that allows individuals to conveniently incorporate healthful ingredients into their diets.
Other Minnesota Cup Finalists
Barrier I Network Security Appliance The Barrier Group has created, developed and is now selling the patent pending network security appliance named Barrier I that is a revolutionary vehicle to stop “blended threats” – the biggest threat facing network security in the past 20 years. The company, led by Steve Sahl, is bootstrapping it with only three employees and winning business away from large, well-financed international competitors, while remaining cash flow neutral.
Wilcraft Tom Roering, Connie Roering and Dave Plan created an amphibious drivable ice fishing shelter called Wilcraft that offers a safe, comfortable and convenient ice fishing experience. Its light footprint also allows access to early and late ice – the most coveted times of the season.
Student Winner: Zipnosis
Led by Jonathan Pearce, Zipnosis creates electronic visit – E-visit – software to allow patients and doctors to conduct secure electronic visits and help make family practice doctors financially viable. The unique, adaptive software guides a patient through a consultation creating a note the physician can quickly review.
Media Contact:
Jeremy Baier, Haberman & Associates, 612-372-6461, jeremy@habermaninc.com
Peggy Bell, Haberman & Associates, 612-372-6463, peggy@habermaninc.com
