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MINNESOTA CUP ANNOUNCES DIVISION WINNERS
(MINNEAPOLIS) Sept. 2, 2009 – The Minnesota Cup, a statewide entrepreneurial contest that seeks out and supports Minnesota’s newest and most innovative business ideas, today announced the division winners of the 5th Annual Minnesota Cup competition.
“The 2009 Minnesota Cup has generated some of the most inventive new business ideas in the contest’s history,” said Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup co-chair. “We are very excited about this year’s winners and look forward to honoring all of them at the awards ceremony.”
The six divisions winners will compete for the grand prize on Thursday, Sept. 10 at the McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis. The grand prize winner will be named and division winners will be honored at the event, which starts at 5:00 p.m.
Contest organizers, University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks, the review board and past winners will join the finalists at the awards reception.
This year’s competition will award more than $130,000 in prizes to winners, as well as consulting services from leaders in finance, accounting, legal and management support services. One finalist from each division – with the exception of the student category – will be awarded $20,000 in seed capital and the grand prize winner will be awarded an additional $20,000 and receive the Minnesota Cup, presented by David and Carolyn Cleveland and sponsored by the University of Minnesota.
One student winner will receive a $5,000 prize and the opportunity to compete for the grand prize.
The Minnesota Cup congratulates the following division winners:
General Division: Drazil Juice
Drazil Foods offers a better juice for kids. Drazil taps into the $4 billion juice market with its Drazil Juice Teazers product, which blends 100% fruit juice with caffeine-free herbal tea – a natural source of antioxidants. It is available in single-serve juice boxes (8 pack) and multi-serve bottles.
High Tech Division: Alvenda
Alvenda has created a commerce-enabled advertising network. It enables customers to shop with a retailer anywhere on the Web – not just on a single e-commerce site. Alvenda bring a retailer's store to the customer rather than the other way around.
Clean & Green Division: Packet Power
Packet Power is focused on providing the information needed to be smart about electric power consumption. The company offers hardware, software and services that make it simple, quick and inexpensive to gain the information needed to reduce power usage.
BioScience Division: Pursuit Vascular, Inc.
Pursuit Vascular, Inc. is developing a unique disposable device to reduce hemodialysis catheter-related infections. This device is easily inserted into any brand of hemodialysis catheter in order to kill infectious microorganisms between treatments. Based on research, Pursuit Vascular estimates this device can reduce catheter-related infections by more than 75 percent.
Social Entrepreneur Division: Rural Renewable Energy Alliance
Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) is saving low-income families money while reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions by educating tomorrow's leaders about solar power, localizing energy production and creating green jobs in an impoverished community in northern Minnesota.
Student Division: ManCave
ManCave Worldwide provides men with the tools necessary to be all that is man. ManCave "meatings" teach different grilling techniques to showcase all of ManCave products, which include everything from bottle openers to beer mugs with the ManCave logo. All of the products are delivered to the purchaser's front door and have a lifetime guarantee.
About Minnesota Cup
The 5th Annual Minnesota Cup is a statewide competition that seeks out aspiring entrepreneurs for the next breakthrough idea. From high-tech to high-touch, biosciences to retail, agriculture to social ventures, this is a competition for entrepreneurs, inventors and anybody with an innovative business idea. With more than $130,000 in prize money and support from the state’s leaders in finance, accounting, legal and management support services, the Minnesota Cup is the premier business idea generator in Minnesota.
Media contact and RSVP for McNamara Alumni Center Reception:
Jeremy Baier
Haberman
612-372- 6461
jeremy@habermaninc.com
Peggy Bell
Haberman
612-372-6463
peggy@habermaninc.com
