Minnov8

Dan Mallin Presents MN Science & Tech Committee Findings

Pretty sobering assessment of our state and the future of innovation here….we might not have one if we don’t get moving in a positive direction! Minnesota faces a crisis of competitiveness in attracting high-tech industries, and needs a comprehensive science and technology initiative to remedy the problem. A 16 member committee of experts from the public, [...]

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MN Tech Rocks – Last Night Was Proof

If you weren’t at Minnedemo last night, well, you ain’t….  Seriously, for those few of you players in our Internet/IT community who weren’t there, you missed a damn good one.  I tweeted as I left about 10:30 pm (okay, I admit I tweet from my car) that I thought it was the best ever.  There [...]

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Alvenda Bags $5 Million in VC

Just as we headed into the weekend, day before yesterday, the anticipated news broke that formally identified the Minnesota firm that’s funding local ecommerce technology startup Alvenda.  I had been picking up rumblings of hiring in the suite of offices at 12th and Marquette that Alvenda shares with two other tech firms.  I guess we [...]

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2008 Investor Fraud Traps

Whether you’re an angel investor listening to startup pitches or an innovator considering funding sources, now is a time to be extra careful with anything related to money, credit, lending or capital of any kind — especially if you’re a participant in a social or affinity network or if you’re transparent with your blog and [...]

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Best Buy Shakes Up VC Liaison Group

The longtime head of the group within Best Buy Co. that served as liaison to the venture capital community is out, replaced by two senior VPs. Martin Nyman told me his position was eliminated June 30. He had been with the company for approximately seven years, with a recent title of Director-Global Innovation Network. At [...]

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The Latest on U of M Technology Innovation and Commercialization

The University of Minnesota is among the top patent producers in the world, ranking #4 on Scientist Magazine’s list of “Patent Powerhouses,” behind only three other major American universities. Yet, quantity of patents hardly paints the entire picture. What about helping to start up companies to commercialize those patents? According to the U’s own [...]

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