Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship
The Holmes Center is the hub of entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Minnesota that inspires, educates and connects the next generation of Minnesota's entrepreneurs. We mobilize the community and provide support for emerging entrepreneurs, both within and outside the University, through experiential courses and engaging outreach programs.
Regardless of your entrepreneurial stage, Minnesota offers abundant resources. Whether you're starting with an idea or have an established business:
Seeking to connect and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurial spirits? Join us at the Toaster Innovation Hub to ignite innovation, spark creativity, and launch your ideas to the next level. The Holmes Center has partnered with the Libraries to crank up the volume in Walter Library by inviting students to make some noise and collaborate in the Toaster.
Launch MN, a statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation.
Initiatives to support entrepreneurs
Minnesota boasts a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem with various initiatives supporting emerging entrepreneurs. The state is home to MN Cup, the largest startup competition in the US, MIN-Corps, a catalyst for tech commercialization, Grow North, a resource hub for food and agriculture entrepreneurs, and WE*, an organization empowering women-led startups.
MN Cup
MN Cup is the largest statewide startup competition in the country, supporting emerging entrepreneurs through events, education, mentoring and an annual competition.
MIN-Corps
MIN-Corps develops talent and catalyzes technology commercialization across the University of Minnesota through a series of courses, workshops and bootcamps.
MIN-Corps is a partnership of the Holmes Center, College of Science & Engineering and TechComm.
Naturally Minnesota
Naturally Minnesota, formerly known as Grow North is a resource and connection hub serving Minnesota's food and agriculture entrepreneur ecosystem.
WE
WE* is focused on supporting scalable, women-led startups in Minnesota through a series of conferences and events.
The MN Cup Advantage
Every year, more than a thousand entrepreneurs compete in MN Cup — the largest statewide startup contest in the country. Organized by the Holmes Center, the competition fuels job creation by connecting entrepreneurs with the resources to move their ideas forward.
The 2022 competition featured entrepreneurs from across the state competing for $400,000+ of non-dilutive cash prizes and access to mentors and resources to develop your new business idea. Participation in the largest statewide startup competition in the country is free and open to any Minnesota company with less than $1 million in annual revenue.
Entrepreneurship With a Purpose
Through a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem, the U of M encourages aspiring student and faculty entrepreneurs to pursue their startup passions.
