Founders Day 2026

Join fellow alumni and the broader entrepreneurial community as we celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship across the University of Minnesota campus. Learn about innovative projects led by students and faculty to develop new products, test new business concepts and launch new startups.

This year will feature the MVP Challenge, showcasing 25 projects from classes and labs across the UMN sharing their prototypes to solve significant social, medical/health, environmental and manufacturing problems. Recent technology startups spun out of the UMN will also be featured, alongside students' new products and startup companies' development in experiential entrepreneurship courses.

The event will also announce entrepreneurship student/teacher/faculty awards and recognize the 2026 University of Minnesota Entrepreneur of the Year - Ryan Broshar, Founding Partner of Matchstick Ventures and co-founder of Beta.MN and Twin Cities Startup Week.

Immediately after the program, join us downstairs in the Toaster Innovation Hub for refreshments, and meet our 15 current MBA and undergraduate student teams participating in experiential courses and leading startup companies.