Momease Solutions Wins MN Cup Grand Prize

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Momease Solutions took home the 2024 Minnesota Cup Grand Prize last night at the Grand Finale celebration, concluding this year’s competition of entrepreneurs from across the state.

MN Cup, in its 20th year, is the country’s largest statewide startup competition. A record-breaking 3,178 Minnesotans applied to participate this year.

The monthslong competition offers all participants mentorship, educational workshops, and networking connections through the Carlson School’s Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship. Cash prizes help launch and accelerate their new ventures.

Momease Solutions, which makes a breast pumping bra designed for mothers’ comfort, won an additional $50,000 in funding. The Grand Prize Review Board selected the winner out of the nine divisional winners, each of whom earned $25,000.

Momease Solutions co-founders Ashley Mooneyham and Jennie Lynch at the MN Cup Grand Finale

“It’s unbelievable. It’s truly unexpected,” co-founder Ashley Mooneyham said shortly after her company was announced as the winner. “We’re so impressed by all of the other participating companies and the division winners. I’m just so grateful that we were seen as someone worthy of the Grand Prize, because we certainly believe in our mission and we’re really passionate about it.”

“Our mission is to introduce a breast pump–enhancing bra that empowers mothers to comfortably collect more milk in less time,” said Mooneyham, speaking alongside her co-founder Jennie Lynch. Momease Solutions, based in the Twin Cities, was founded in 2021 after Mooneyham gave birth to her first baby.

During the Grand Finale event, MN Cup’s top competitors also presented pitches to hundreds of audience members who voted for their favorites. Throughout the competition, entrepreneurs received more than $400,000 in cash prizes.

“Over the past twenty years, MN Cup has empowered tens of thousands of entrepreneurs to pursue their ventures,” said Kailin Oliver, associate director of MN Cup. “We are incredibly grateful for the community support that has turned this program into a pillar of Minnesota's startup ecosystem.”

Since 2005, MN Cup has supported more than 26,000 Minnesota entrepreneurs and has awarded competitors more than $5.8 million in cash prizes. MN Cup alumni companies have gone on to raise more than $1.1 billion.

This year saw continued growth in the diversity of MN Cup applicants, including 39 percent identifying as nonwhite, 43 percent identifying as female, and 3 percent identifying as nonbinary or self-described gender identity. The youngest applicant was 8 years old, while the oldest was 88. Additionally, 31 percent of applicants were from Greater Minnesota.