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25 Startups Receive Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has announced a new round of Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants. DEED doled out a total of $673,500 to 25 startups, 18 of which are minority, women, or veteran owned or are in Greater Minnesota.

Launch Minnesota was recently fully re-funded with $3 million allocated to the Innovation Grant program ($1.5 million a year for two years). The organization has $826,500 left to award for this fiscal year ending in June 2022.

“Putting capital in the hands of founders can make a big difference in their long-term success,” Launch Minnesota Executive Director Neela Mollgaard said in a release. “We have seen firsthand the difference it is making in the ability to grow startups and new technologies.”

Since starting in 2009, Launch Minnesota has awarded more than $3.8 million to more than 115 startups statewide.

Here are 25 startups included in this round:

  • 2040 Energy, Hennepin County
    Developing an air-source heat pump designed to replace gas/ oil boilers in homes with radiators.
  • Allergy Medical, Ramsey County
    Developing a small double-dosing epinephrine delivery device.
  • Ambient Intelligence, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing a real-time contactless patient monitoring technology for long term care facilities.
  • Beatrice Health, LLC., Ramsey County
    Developing an app for caregivers of vulnerable adults to monitor and locate those suffering from Alzheimer’s.
  • Biovisics Medical, Inc., Wright County
    Developing a physician prescribed home-use digital therapy platform to slow or halt the progression of degenerative retinal diseases.
  • Canomiks, Inc., Olmsted County
    Developing an AI-based platform to test and certify biological efficacy and safety for the food, beverage and dietary supplement industry.
  • Fybraworks Foods, Ramsey County
    Developing a process to grow real animal meat proteins, free of hormones and antibiotics, in microbes.
  • Hello Temp Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing a labor matching platform for knowledge workers to allow small and mid-sized businesses to compete with Fortune 500 companies for flexible talent.
  • ImagoAI Inc., Ramsey County
    Developing an AI-enabled imaging system that automates food quality checks for food processing companies.
  • IntelliU LLC., Carver County
    Developing enterprise software that helps MedTech firms reduce product risks using AI-driven requirements analysis.
  • Kronfeld Motor Company, Hennepin County
    Developing a programmable, highway speed, human assist, electric vehicle.
  • LegalQ, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing an app that connects legal consumers with attorneys.
  • LifEngine Animal Health Laboratories Inc., Olmsted County
    Using gene editing technology to reprogram living cells for use as a cancer therapy in animals.
  • Monicat Data, Ramsey County
    Developing a platform that helps teams simplify business reporting by connecting multiple data platforms.
  • NETZRO, SBC, Hennepin County
    Developing an upcycling platform that captures and converts industrial food & beverage byproducts into new sustainable upcycled food ingredients at scale.
  • Nucleic Sensing Systems, LLC, Ramsey County
    Developing technology for the autonomous detection and verification of biological organisms.
  • Proserva Inc., Hennepin County
    Developed an integrated platform that provides remote professional learning for teachers.
  • Radwave Technologies, Inc., Ramsey County
    Developing electromagnetic tracking solutions for use in minimally invasive and robotic surgeries.
  • Renew Power Systems, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developed technology that allows users to stack renewable energy systems to store and use at the point of generation through local community microgrids.
  • Runerra Technologies, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing a platform that connects merchants with local neighborhoods.
  • SitEat, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing a mobile ordering platform for in-venue concession stands.
  • UnPub Global, Hennepin County
    Developing an online program management platform that transforms analog or in-person educational.
  • UR TURN, SBC, Hennepin County
    Developing a college/career readiness software solution for middle and high school students.
  • xDot Medical, Inc., Hennepin County
    Developing xCinch Access Management System for bloodless access site management for catheter-based therapies to reduce bleeding complications.
  • Your Path, LLC., Mille Lacs County
    Developing technology and services that connect people with virtual behavioral healthcare for substance related issues.

To learn more about the Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants, read the release below, and catch up on our previous coverage.

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St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that it has awarded $673,500 in Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants to startups. These grants go to 25 startups 18 of which targeted founders are minority, veteran or woman-owned businesses or are located in Greater Minnesota.

These grants were available due to the continued funding of Launch Minnesota from legislators. We have $3M this biennium, $1.5M each fiscal year to provide grants to high growth startups. We have $826,500 remaining this fiscal year which ends in June 2022.

“Providing resources and support for technology startups is important to help our state’s economy as these companies grow,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner of Economic Development Kevin McKinnon. “It’s even more important now as we look to help businesses during the pandemic recovery.”

Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants are targeted to the most promising innovative and scalable technology businesses in Minnesota. The grants help reduce the risk for Minnesota technology startups and entrepreneurs who are solving problems and growing our state’s innovation ecosystem.

“Putting capital in the hands of founders can make a big difference in their long-term success,” said Launch Minnesota Executive Director Neela Mollgaard. “We have seen firsthand the difference it is making in the ability to grow startups and new technologies.”

Since Launch Minnesota’s creation in 2019, it has awarded 143 Innovation grants of over $3.8 million to over 115 startups statewide. Visit LaunchMinnesota.org or the Launch Minnesota grants section of the DEED website to learn more about grant opportunities, see a listing of grant recipients and access application materials.

Awards recipients and their location listed below

2040 Energy, Hennepin County
Developing an air-source heat pump designed to replace gas/ oil boilers in homes with radiators.

Allergy Medical, Ramsey County
Developing a small double-dosing epinephrine delivery device.

Ambient Intelligence, Inc., Hennepin County
Developing a real-time contactless patient monitoring technology for long term care facilities.

Beatrice Health, LLC., Ramsey County
Developing an app for caregivers of vulnerable adults to monitor and locate those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Biovisics Medical, Inc., Wright County
Developing a physician prescribed home-use digital therapy platform to slow or halt the progression of degenerative retinal diseases.

Canomiks, Inc., Olmsted County
Developing an AI-based platform to test and certify biological efficacy and safety for the food, beverage and dietary supplement industry.

Fybraworks Foods, Ramsey County
Developing a process to grow real animal meat proteins, free of hormones and antibiotics, in microbes.

Hello Temp Inc., Hennepin County
Developing a labor matching platform for knowledge workers to allow small and mid-sized businesses to compete with Fortune 500 companies for flexible talent.

ImagoAI Inc., Ramsey County
Developing an AI-enabled imaging system that automates food quality checks for food processing companies.

IntelliU LLC., Carver County
Developing enterprise software that helps MedTech firms reduce product risks using AI-driven requirements analysis.

Kronfeld Motor Company, Hennepin County
Developing a programmable, highway speed, human assist, electric vehicle.

LegalQ, Inc., Hennepin County
Developing an app that connects legal consumers with attorneys.

LifEngine Animal Health Laboratories Inc., Olmsted County
Using gene editing technology to reprogram living cells for use as a cancer therapy in animals.

Monicat Data, Ramsey County
Developing a platform that helps teams simplify business reporting by connecting multiple data platforms.

NETZRO, SBC, Hennepin County
Developing an upcycling platform that captures and converts industrial food & beverage byproducts into new sustainable upcycled food ingredients at scale.

Nucleic Sensing Systems, LLC, Ramsey County
Developing technology for the autonomous detection and verification of biological organisms.

Proserva Inc., Hennepin County
Developed an integrated platform that provides remote professional learning for teachers.

Radwave Technologies, Inc., Ramsey County
Developing electromagnetic tracking solutions for use in minimally invasive and robotic surgeries.

Renew Power Systems, Inc., Hennepin County
Developed technology that allows users to stack renewable energy systems to store and use at the point of generation through local community microgrids.

Runerra Technologies, Inc., Hennepin County
Developing a platform that connects merchants with local neighborhoods.

SitEat, Inc., Hennepin County
Developing a mobile ordering platform for in-venue concession stands.

UnPub Global, Hennepin County
Developing an online program management platform that transforms analog or in-person educational.

UR TURN, SBC, Hennepin County
Developing a college/career readiness software solution for middle and high school students.

xDot Medical, Inc., Hennepin County
Developing xCinch Access Management System for bloodless access site management for catheter-based therapies to reduce bleeding complications.

Your Path, LLC., Mille Lacs County
Developing technology and services that connect people with virtual behavioral healthcare for substance related issues.

You can find a full list of all Innovation Grants on the Launch Minnesota website Innovation Grants page.

Launch Minnesota, spearheaded by DEED, is aimed at growing Minnesota’s startup ecosystem. The Launch Minnesota Network, which started in March 2020, includes 8 hubs and over 80 partner organizations statewide in a hub-and-spoke model designed to help startups access resources and education wherever they are based.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website, the JoinUsMn.com website, or follow us on Twitter.