Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $674,000 in Innovation Grants to 26 Startup Businesses Around the State



Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Press Release


*For Immediate Release*




Mary Haugen

[email protected]




April 16, 2024

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Launch Minnesota Awards Nearly $674,000 in Innovation Grants to 26 Startup Businesses Around the State

Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced $673,280 in Launch Minnesota Business Operation Innovation Grants to 26 startups statewide; 16 of these grantees are led by entrepreneurs of color, veterans, women, persons with disabilities or are startups located in Greater Minnesota.

Launch Minnesota is a statewide collaborative effort spearheaded by DEED to support startups and grow Minnesota’s innovation ecosystem. Innovation Grants are awarded to promising, innovative and scalable technology businesses, providing up to $35,000 to use toward operational costs such as research and development, direct business expenses and technical assistance. Since its inception in 2019, Launch Minnesota has awarded $8.2 million in grant funding and 62% has been awarded to targeted founders. Innovation grantees have gone on to raise more than $150 million in additional post-award funding.

“These startups focus on developing technologies that improve lives and help individuals and businesses solve problems,” said* DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek*. “Launch Minnesota is dedicated to supporting innovators statewide, not only with grant funding but also consulting services and networking opportunities to help them grow and thrive.”

“It’s great to see the continued growth and impact of Launch Minnesota in communities across the state,” said *Neela Mollgaard, DEED Office of Small Business and Innovation Executive Director*. “We’re excited to support these companies’ efforts to launch, grow and contribute to Minnesota’s vital small business economy.” 

“This grant round includes a diverse range of startups – from state-of-the-art medical technology to sustainability innovations to consumer-focused technologies that simplify and improve our daily lives,” said *Rob Cimperman, Launch Minnesota Director*. 

*The following companies received Business Operations Innovation Grants:*

*Anumio, Inc.* – A veterinary science company that manufactures novel sustained-release drug products to aid in the treatment of diseases with high prevalence in animal health.

*Camperoni, Inc. [ [link removed] ]* – A woman-owned company offering a web-based app that helps parents automate the process of finding and registering kids for camps, sports and activities.

*CorRen Medical, Inc. [ [link removed] ] *– A medical device company specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral artery disease and cardiorenal disease. The company is developing an accurate, easy-to-use Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) test for early peripheral artery disease diagnosis.

*Daisy Pet, Inc. [ [link removed] ] *– The company’s AI-powered dog health and wellness smartphone app provides personalized wellness advice, on-demand training solutions, nutrition education and behavior insights for dog owners.

*DIY Trees, LLC* [ [link removed] ] – The Hermantown-based company is developing an app-based tutorial and user-friendly tree kits that provide personalized tree growing experiences.

*Energy ReLeaf, LLC* – The company is an accredited solar shingle installer with energy and roofing experience for both traditional roofing and solar array installations.

*Epiblock, LLC* – The company’s mouth-inserted medical device restricts blood flow to the nasal cavity and surrounding area to help stop nosebleeds. The product was developed by three University of St. Thomas students.

*FerskTech, LLC [ [link removed] ]* – A woman-owned technology company offering a suite of solutions that streamline operations for travel managers, providing insights for small and medium-sized businesses.

*Impacks, Inc. [ [link removed] ]* – A woman-owned, St. Cloud-based company that simplifies back-to-school supply shopping for parents, schools and administrators, the company’s offerings include customized school supply kits, business and non-profit school supply drives and bulk school supply orders.

*Just Housing SBC [ [link removed] ]* – A Duluth-based, woman-owned company that designs and sells ready-to-build, zero energy-capable house plans promoting sustainable housing and green building practices.

*Kommodo Holdings Corp.* – A biotechnology company developing therapies for rare diseases that use engineered T cells to secrete therapeutic molecules. 

*MarginBio, LLC [ [link removed] ]* – A biologics company developing and commercializing an antibody discovery platform to overcome challenges in early-stage drug discovery.

*Mom Badge, LLC [ [link removed] ]* – A smartphone app that allows users to send and receive digital badges acknowledging, supporting and celebrating motherhood achievements, moments and milestones. The woman-owned company’s badges are based on hand-crafted designs and senders have options to attach personal notes and gift cards.

*Mozrt, Inc.* [ [link removed] ] – A fintech banking startup located in East Gull Lake, its technology platform bridges the gap between traditional banking and contemporary technology.

*Paxos Medical, Inc.* – A medical device company developing an implantable neuromodulation system for pelvic health disorders.

*QoL Devices, Inc.* [ [link removed] ] – Grant funding targets the Rochester company’s Alvio gamified mobile technology solution, which functions as a respiratory muscle trainer and symptom tracker for individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis and Parkinson’s.

*Riptide Therapeutics, LLC* – This pharmaceuticals company researches and develops cancer drugs that aim to render tumors more susceptible to existing treatments.

*Sports Vision, Inc. [ [link removed] ]* – A developer of an AI-powered sports analytics platform for athlete and team sports performance enhancement and optimization. This is a BIPOC-owned information technology company headquartered in Minneapolis.

*Swinergy, Inc. [ [link removed] ] *– The veteran-led company’s anaerobic digestion process transforms agricultural manure into renewable natural gas faster than current offerings, enabling scalability to make the process a more accessible option for farms to implement.

*Tam Technologies, Inc. [ [link removed] ] *– A BIPOC woman-owned information software startup located in Rochester, its platform generates highly-accurate personal 3D avatars from a scan on a smartphone to help shoppers find clothes that fit.

*Tanner Mobile Health, LLC* – This woman-owned company is developing a proprietary enterprise software application aimed at improving rehabilitation services in children, adolescents and young adults.

*Trunkdrop, LLC [ [link removed] ] *– The company’s mobile app functions like a rideshare platform that consumers and SMBs can use for on-demand courier/delivery services. 

*Venstramedical US, Inc.* [ [link removed] ] – A medical device company that is developing percutaneous circulatory support systems for temporary use by cardiologists in the treatment of patients requiring cardiac support without surgical intervention.

*Vista BioMedical, Inc.* – A Rochester-based company that is developing a urinalysis kit and a proprietary mobile app for preventative health screening of chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.

*Waypoint Forward, LLC* – A female-led, Duluth-based business that is developing an energy-efficient textile recycling machine that pulls the fibers apart rather than cutting them like existing textile recycling machines, which keeps the fibers longer and easier to be re-spun into usable yarns.

*Wugs Vending, LLC* [ [link removed] ] – This BIPOC veteran-led, technology-driven, unattended retail micro-market and vending company provides its business customers with an affordable and convenient way to offer multicultural snack and beverage options for their employees, visitors and customers.

"DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. Find out how DEED delivers for Minnesota by visiting the""_ _""DEED website" [ [link removed] ]", ""_ _""JoinUsMn.com" [ [link removed] ]", ""CareerForceMN.com" [ [link removed] ]" or"" ""follow us on X" [ [link removed] ]"."

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"Upon request, this information can be made available in alternate formats for people with disabilities by contacting the DEED Communications Office at 651-259-7161."





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