How To Stop Today's Higher Education Exodus Of Women In Tech
How To Stop Today's Higher Education Exodus Of Women In Tech
Monday, October 18, 2021
Monday, October 18, 2021
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Monday, November 1, 2021
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Joy Lindsay received the 2023 University of Minnesota Entrepreneur of the Year at the eleventh annual Founders Day celebration on May 10th. Joy earned her MBA at the Carlson School, co-founded StarTec Investments, one of the first women-led venture capital firms in Minnesota and has given back to the University and broader community while serving as a wonderful role model for our students and fellow alums. Her long-time efforts to serve the University and the broader entrepreneurial community are without parallel and include advising the University’s Technology Commercialization group and the Discovery Capital fund, serving on the Holmes Center advisory board, advising and mentoring countless students, speaking regularly in a broad range of entrepreneurship classes and served as a judge in MN Cup since inception.Â
Joy's role in the community includes serving as the chair of the MN High Tech Association, vice-president of the MN Venture Capital Association and many other public and private volunteer leadership positions. Most importantly, she has been a trailblazer among women in venture capital and early-stage investing, and an enthusiastic supporter of women entrepreneurs. Joy remains active as a Managing Partner in the leadership of the Sofia Fund, investing in high-growth women-led companies, and supports ongoing investments as a limited partner in other regional funds. Her track record of investing at StarTec includes a lengthy list of Minnesota-based success stories including Rebiotix, Flipgrid, Magnet 360, GovDelivery, Iconoculture, Compellent Technologies and Xiotech. Joy's commitment, curiosity and enthusiastic support inspire us all.
The Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship coordinates the annual selection of the University of Minnesota's Entrepreneur of the Year Award, seeking to identify one exemplary alumnus who founded and is currently leading an enduring business, who supports the University and local community and who serves as a role model to our students and fellow alumni. Congratulations to Joy!
Friday, November 13, 2020
Among 2020’s most disruptive MBA startups is Lost&Found, a nonprofit organization that gives young adults ages 14-35 the skills and community to be resilient, attempting to address the systemic issue of rising suicide rates across the country. Leading the effort at Lost&Found is Erik Muckey, who did his graduate studies at the Carlson School of Management and Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Ten years ago, Muckey, his friend Dennis Smith, and five of their friends at University of South Dakota launched a nonprofit that provided financial support to families and students impacted by suicide or attempted suicide. As they finished their undergraduate studies, the team split up and went their separate ways, but Muckey stuck with Lost&Found during his graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, taking the lead and rethinking its operating model based on what he learned from his courses.
Muckey credits much of Lost&Found’s success to the people he met and courses he took at Carlson. The entrepreneur who inspired him to take the leap into leading his own venture was friend and mentor Adam Rao, who’s encouragement and conversations led Muckey to be where he is today. Carlson’s STARTUP class played a big role in re-focusing Lost&Found’s business model to make it more customer-centric, impactful, and engaging. There are four professors who Muckey says made a significant contribution to his plans: Terri Barreiro, Toby Nord, John Stavig, and Steve Spruth. These four helped Muckey in a variety of ways, from helping him improve his impact model to providing networking and sponsor opportunities.
In the long-term, Muckey wants people to think of Lost&Found when they think of resilience. More importantly, he wants Lost&Found to change the way we support mental health for young adults in the United States. Muckey wants these young adults to have greater access to help, for a greater understanding of mental health in families and the workplace, and ultimately, a country that embraces the importance of mental health as a necessary aspect of well-being.
Thursday, March 11, 2021
In 2019, The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced the Launch Minnesota initiative to accelerate the growth of the startup ecosystem across Minnesota. Launch Minnesota aims to provide innovators with the resources and education to bring their products to market, as well as help them find funding and professional connections. The Holmes Center was selected as the initial statewide educational partner for 2020, and recently extended for 2021.
Through the MN Venture Builders platform, the Holmes Center and TechComm make available University of Minnesota courses, seminars, and other resources to entrepreneurs across the entire state. This online educational platform launched in April of 2020 to educate hundreds of entrepreneurs in the lean startup process, while inviting them to participate in programs like MN Cup and attend seminars organized by the University.
To date, Launch Minnesota has awarded 118 grants totaling over $2.8 million, supporting countless startups and new technologies. In January, Launch Minnesota was nationally recognized in the Lab-to-Market Competition for its “current efforts to successfully attract and/or support networks of underrepresented communities in the R&D innovation ecosystem."