Sponsorship
MN Cup is fortunate to have the support of many of Minnesota’s largest and most innovative companies. Our sponsors choose to support us financially and via the volunteer contributions of their employees because they believe in the value of innovation through entrepreneurship – both to specific industries and to the overall economic vitality of our state. We have a proven impact and track record toward these values - MN Cup startups have gone on to successfully launch their businesses, raise capital and create jobs in Minnesota. Finalists since 2005 have raised over $1million to spur innovation and job creation in our state.
Our sponsors have the opportunity to actively participate in our competition process as judges, mentors, subject matter experts and event hosts. We work with sponsors to customize packages to include brand advertising, review board participation, divisional prize packages and the chance to host events for competition participants. Through these opportunities, sponsors are able to align their brands with and expose their employees to the startup community – lean practices, design thinking, and its innovation, and to create diverse, inclusive opportunities for entrepreneurs across our state to generate equitable opportunities for themselves and build wealth.
Sponsorships and grants are critical to the success of MN Cup - every dollar awarded to our entrepreneurial competitors and invested into our programming comes from fundraising. We offer all of our events and programming at no cost, and distribute our prize money without taking equity, in an effort to offer the maximum benefit to the current and future founders of Minnesota. We want to lower the barrier to entry, and increase accessibility to the tools and resources founders need to succeed.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? We'd love to have you!