New Seminars, Classes Aim to Help Minnesota Entrepreneurs

The Carlson School has added new programming to educate the state’s entrepreneurial community.

A new online platform, called MN Venture Builders, launched April 2020. The site shares information to connect entrepreneurs with courses, competitions, seminars, mentors, and connections to the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to early-stage technology entrepreneurs across the state of Minnesota. It is a collaboration between the Carlson School’s Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship and Launch Minnesota, an initiative of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, designed to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation.
 

“Entrepreneurship is vital in any economy, but especially during these unprecedented times,” says John Stavig, program director at the Holmes Center. “These courses and seminars will allow us to build an even more robust entrepreneurial scene in the state of Minnesota.”

Within its first few months, more than 150 entrepreneurs participated in the quarterly lean startup courses and webinars. Through the program, the Carlson School has hosted virtual courses designed for pre-launch and early-stage technology entrepreneurs, as well as seminars on early-stage startup funding, how to build an inclusive business culture, and an introduction to financial modeling, along with many others. There is also a mentorship program available, tapping into the University’s wide network within the entrepreneurial community.

MN Venture Builders continues the Holmes Center’s leadership in supporting entrepreneurs through programs such as MIN-Corps, Grow North, Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE*), and MN Cup, the largest statewide startup contest in the country