Eleven Companies Receive Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants

St. Paul –The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced $247,000 in Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants to 11 of the state’s most promising, innovative and scalable technology startups.

In this third round of Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants, 12 grants were awarded to 11 different companies: eight grants for business operations and four housing/childcare grants.

With today‘s announcement, a total of over $1.2 million has been awarded to Minnesota startups through Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants, with an additional $1.2 million being matched by private sources.

Of the 11 businesses receiving grants announced today, 36% are women-, veteran- or minority-owned or are headquartered in Greater Minnesota.

“At this unprecedented time, it’s never been more important to foster and grow a startup community that will build solutions to help us meet challenges we face moving forward,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner of Economic Development, Kevin McKinnon. “While we work to address the immediate needs driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to continue to nurture the innovative businesses of the future.”

“Six of the awardees announced today are focused on medical device, pharmaceuticals or other health and wellness technology,” said Executive Director of Launch Minnesota, Neela Mollgaard. “This is a perfect example of how investment in new technology can prepare Minnesota for the future.”

“Launch Minnesota will continue its effort to accelerate the growth of Minnesota startups during COVID-19,” said Launch Minnesota Advisory Board Chair, Jodi Hubler. “Now is the time to ensure we lean in to help promising new startups survive.”

Launch Minnesota was created with bipartisan support during the 2019 legislative session as a statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation.

The first round of Launch Minnesota Innovation Grants was announced in January and the second round was announced in March. Grant applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until the $1.6 million in fiscal year 2020 is fully awarded. In July, another $1.6 million in funding will be available for fiscal year 2021.

Visit LaunchMinnesota.org or visit the Launch Minnesota grants section of the DEED website to learn more about grant opportunities and access application materials.

Third round Launch Minnesota Innovation Grant recipients are listed below:

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Anatomi Corp., Minneapolis

Creating advanced models of neurological diseases for developing new treatments.

Berd LLC, St. Louis Park

Producing hybrid metal and polymer materials with their first product being lightest weight bicycle spokes.

Better Time Company, St. Paul

Developing a digital coach to help people make better health and wellness decisions.

Geneticure, Inc., Rochester

Delivering personalized medicine via pharmacogenomics.

InControl Health, Inc., Minneapolis

Developing a cooling hat for chemo patients to prevent hair loss.

Odonata Health, Inc., Stillwater

Developing a wearable sensor platform technology to acquire maternal and fetal biometric data.

Radwave Technologies, Inc., St. Paul

Developing an electromagnetic surgical navigation platform for minimally invasive medical procedures.

Tychon Biosciences, Minneapolis

Commercializing an immune-therapy technology for cancer patients.

Vemos, LLC, Minneapolis

Providing an analytics and mobile payments system serving the hospitality industry.

We Sparkle, St Paul

Developing a conversational AI assistant for small appointment-based service businesses.

Yonder, LLC, Coon Rapids

Developing an education platform to prepare kids for dental visits.

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Launch Minnesota is a new initiative aimed at growing Minnesota's startup ecosystem. Launch Minnesota is spearheaded by DEED, leveraging the expertise of dozens of private sector leaders and Minnesota entrepreneurs. For more information, visit LaunchMinnesota.org. Follow Launch Minnesota on Twitter and Facebook.

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 or follow DEED on Twitter.