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.
Join us at the annual WE* Disrupt conference on February 4th, 2026 at McNamara Alumni Center! The WE* (Women Entrepreneurs) Disrupt Conference is an annual event focused on supporting Minnesota’s emerging entrepreneurs. The conference is open to all but will be centered around the unique experience of female founders.
Regardless of your entrepreneurial stage, Minnesota offers abundant resources. Whether you're starting
with an idea or have an established business:
Explore Entrepreneurship & Innovation
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.
The Holmes Center serves as the statewide educational partner for Launch Minnesota, a statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation.
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.
MN Cup Turns 20: An Oral History
The story of how an idea in the middle of the night became the largest statewide entrepreneurship competition in the nation and a rite of passage for Minnesota’s entrepreneurial community.
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. In 2024, the MN Cup program celebrated its 20th season. This story highlights how the program came to be and the impact it has had on Minnesota's startups since 2005.
Holmes Center Events
