Welcome to the Minnesota Cup!
The Minnesota Cup is an annual, statewide competition that seeks out aspiring entrepreneurs and their breakthrough ideas. We are looking for the next great entrepreneurial success story in our state.
This competition is for all entrepreneurs, whether your breakthrough idea is high tech or no tech, whether you are just putting your ideas into a business plan or if you've been out building your venture.
The 2012 competition will launch in late March. Send an email to support@breakthroughideas.org if you would like to be placed on the notification list for the 2012 competition.
All Minnesota Entrepreneurs, Inventors, Mentors and Investors are Encouraged to Attend the 2012 Minnesota Entrepreneur Kick-off on February 8th from 5:30 - 8:00pm. Visit www.mnentrepreneurs.org for more information and to register.
For the latest news on past Minnesota Cup semi-finalists, finalists and winners, please see our In the News page.
AUM Cardiovascular Named the 2011 Minnesota Cup Grand Prize Winner!
2011 Minnesota Cup Grand Prize Winner Marie Johnson, Founder of AUM Cardiovascular, with Dave and Carolyn Cleveland and Minnesota Cup Co-founders Scott Litman and Dan Mallin
(Credit: Craig Bares for Twin Cities Business)
The Minnesota Cup grand prize review board had the pleasure of listening to the 6 division winner presentations on the afternoon of September 8th. The presentations were all excellent and the judges ended up deliberating for almost an hour to determine who should be named the grand prize winner.
In the evening of September 8, the 2011 Final Awards Event presented by Maslon Edelman Borman and Brand, LLP, was held at McNamara Alumni Center. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and Carlson Chair Marilyn Carlson Nelson and others spoke to a standing room only crowd. The 2011 University of Minnesota Entrepreneur of the year, Monica Nassif, Founder of Caldrea, delivered an uplifting message to the entrepreneurial audience. The division winners gave great elevator pitches, we thanked all of our generous sponsors and supporters and at the end of the reception, announced AUM Cardiovascular as the 2011 Minnesota Cup grand prize winner.
Grand Prize Winner News Release
Full List of Division Winners and Runners-up
A big thank you to our sponsors, supporters, judges, mentors and everyone else who made the 2011 Minnesota Cup such a valuable experience for all of our participants. And thank you to all of the entrepreneurs who participated in the 2011 competition! We wish you the best of luck with your ventures.
Division finalists were announced on August 19.
Semi-finalists were announced on June 13.
Innovative ideas for medical devices, biotech solutions, animal health, drug delivery and diagnostics or human / animal health related products.
Innovative ideas involving clean technology and renewable energy.
Innovative products, services and solutions in manufacturing, recreation, education and all othe ideas.
Innovative ideas in high technology including IT, hardware, software, web & communications
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
Supplements for the Competitions
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 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.
