2023 MN Cup Division Winners

September 1, 2023 — MN Cup is proud to announce the 9 companies selected as this year's Division Winners, the top finishers from each of our nine divisions. 

Statewide startup competition MN Cup announced the 9 divisional winners in this year’s record-breaking competition. These winners were selected from the largest and most diverse number of applicants in the 19-year history of MN Cup.  Winning companies each received $25,000* as they creatively addressed a wide range of societal challenges - including mobility, environment, public safety, education, health care and robotics.  These 9 divisional winners will go on to present in September to the Grand Prize Review Board, competing for an additional $50,000 on top of their prior winnings.

Click here to read more about our 2023 participants.

MN Cup culminates with the 2023 Grand Finale on September 18th from 4-7 PM at the McNamara Alumni Center.  Additional cash prizes of more than $150,000 will also be announced at this live and in-person event.  Join us to meet and hear pitches from the finalists and witness the live announcement of our 2023 Grand Prize Winner – 
Registration is now open!

The 2023 MN Cup Division Winners are: 

Education & Training

• WINNER: Radar Talent Solutions
• RUNNER-UP: Francisco Hockey

Energy/Cleantech/Water

• WINNNER: Carba
• RUNNER-UP: Nucleic Sensing Systems

Food/Ag/Beverage

• WINNER: Quebracho Empanadas
• RUNNER-UP: SMACKIN' Sunflower Seeds

General

• WINNER: REMastered Sleep
• RUNNER-UP: Shelf Pole Hooks

High Tech

• WINNER: Raise a Hood, Inc
• RUNNER-UP: Zenlord Pro

Impact Ventures

• WINNER: XanthosHealth
• RUNNER-UP: Dress Up to Calm Down, LLC

LifeScience/Health IT

• WINNER: Glimpse Diagnostics
• RUNNER-UP: TriAgenics, Inc.

Student

• WINNER: Nivoso
• RUNNER-UP: Cognitiv.ly

Youth

• WINNER: SafeSphere
• RUNNER-UP: CANVAWRAP
   

MN Cup is a community-led, public-private partnership that brings together corporations, investors, foundations, government and skilled volunteers to support Minnesota’s entrepreneurs. The core of our programming is an annual competition that reaches emerging entrepreneurs from across the state and connects them with education, mentorship and resources to launch and accelerate the development of their new ventures. The competition inspires entrepreneurs to begin their startup journey, supports them as they develop a solid business plan, provides exposure for their ideas and offers numerous opportunities to expand their networks. Since 2005 MN Cup has given away $5 Million in seed capital, taking no equity in exchange. Our alumni companies have gone on to raise over $1 Billion. MN Cup is a program of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. To learn more about our process and register for an info session or office hours, visit mncup.org.