Minneapolis startups are set up for success. They thrive in the spirit of innovation led by homegrown corporations and venture capitalists. Find out more about the top startups in Minneapolis.
The city of Minneapolis is an excellent place in many ways. It has parks, lakes, and friendly people. Minneapolis startups, in particular, find the area welcoming. The city is home to some of the country’s largest corporations, including 3M, Best Buy, General Mills, and Target.
The business climate in Minneapolis appears to encourage entrepreneurship. For instance, five Minneapolis-based companies are in the top 1000 fastest-growing companies in the Inc.5000 2020.
Nineteen major corporations also have headquarters there. A few have even put money into startups. These include General Mills through 301 Inc., Target through TechStars, and UnitedHealth Group.
Related Video: Startup Hustle TV, A Web Series About Entrepreneurship
Top Minneapolis startups
Most people agree that Minneapolis is one of the best cities for startups. Also known as the City of Falls, The Saintly City, and Mini Apple, Minneapolis ranks 21st in the Inc. list of surge cities in the US.
Additionally, It has consistently taken 2nd place among Midwest cities, according to Midwest+startups. So, what are the top Minneapolis startups?
Fulcrum Manufacturing Cloud
Fulcrum Manufacturing Cloud is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) ERP, MRP, and MES platform. It helps small and mid-sized manufacturers optimize workflow optimization and automate data collection.
The goal of Fulcrum is to increase manufacturing efficiency. To that end, the cloud-based company made its solutions easy to integrate with existing software to save time and money.
The company is led by CEO, Yu Sunny Han. It has received $3.1 M from 11 investors in one seed round. TechMag recently chose Yu Sunny Han as one of its 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards winners.
Startup Hustle spoke with Yu Sunny Han on “Modernizing Manufacturing.” The episode aired on September 13, 2021.
Abilitech Medical
Abilitech Medical provides solutions to patients with neuromuscular conditions. The medical device company designs assistive technology that uses a combination of motors and springs and a proprietary algorithm. The devices help patients move their limbs with ease and improved functions. Consequently, they regain some independence.
The goal is to help people with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, and stroke. Headed by CEO Angie Zavoral Conley and CFO Nancy Ness, the company produced Abilitech™ Assist. It is an in-home support device for the elbow and shoulder. It helps patients with muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis gain function.
Abilitech™ Assist is the first of its kind in the market. As a result, the company received a National Institutes of Health grant to adapt it for children. The company has also received a total of $8.2M from Sofia Fund in two funding rounds.
Startup Hustle spoke with Angie Zavoral Conley on “MedTech Startups.” The episode aired on September 16, 2021.
Otrafy
Otrafy is an AI-enabled supplier management system to ensure quality assurance in food processing. It uses blockchain technology to manage vendor relationships for quality assurance departments. The tech startup is led by CEO Nhat Nguyen and COO Lucas Cunha.
Their goal is to help food processors meet supply chain challenges such as certification and compliance management. The platform also manages production efficiency, food safety, and disease prevention. As a result, farmers use Otrafy’s system to communicate the history of their products from the farm to stores.
Otrafy has since received a Launch Minnesota Innovation grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Developments (DEED). It has also received funding from four investors in two rounds.
Startup Hustle spoke with Nhat Nguyen on “What is Supplier Management.” The episode aired on September 7, 2021.
Bim Bam Boo
CEO Zoë Lenvin takes pride in Bim Bam Boo, She is on a tree-free paper mission to stop deforestation. To accomplish this, the consumer goods company turns bamboo into toilet paper products designed for women’s health. That is to say, the toilet paper is pH-neutral, toxin-free, and hypoallergenic.
The goal of Bim Bam Boo is to preserve forests and give back to the community. As a result of their efforts, sustainability site Treehugger chose Bim Bam Boo’s product as the “Best Unbleached” in its The Best Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper of 2021 list.
Since launching, it has distributed products to all 500 Whole Foods stores in the US. Bim Bam Boo has more than $5 million in annual revenue. Startup Hustle spoke with Zoë Lenvin on “Using CPGs for Social Good.” The episode aired on August 24, 2021.
Sanvello Health
Sanvello Health is a digital provider of mental health care. Led by CEO Brian Sauer and COO Carrie Rutstein, it has partnered with insurance payers, employers, and higher education institutions. Consequently, the company has been able to help over 37 million people deal with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Sanvello Health’s goal is to help people lead happier lives through its digital platform. As a result, it removes barriers to better mental health. Stigma, cost, and logistics no longer prevent people from getting the help they need.
Soona
Soona is a virtual studio platform for content with physical locations in Austin, Denver, and Minneapolis. It helps brands make professional-grade photos and videos for marketing and eCommerce. The goal is to provide meaningful jobs in its studio stores while making quality content accessible to all brands.
To this end, CEO Elizabeth (Liz) Giorgi and CCO Hayley Anderson created the Candor Clause. The open-source legal disclosure addresses the issues of gender equality and inclusion in virtual content. Soona has since received $18.5M in six funding rounds from 13 investors.
Startup Hustle spoke with Liz Giorgi on “Content Strategy for Brands.” The episode aired on September 9, 2021.
Apruve
Apruve is a fintech company. It specializes in credit management and A/R automation. The company also handles B2B eCommerce and invoice financing. The focus is on “long tail” buyers and invoices at large enterprises that sell directly to customers.
The goal of Apruve is to create a higher return on investment for clients. It has clients in more than 40 countries, including China. Led by CEO Michael Noble and CTO Dave Onnen, Apruve has received a total of $9.5 M in four funding rounds from eight investors.
Nice Healthcare
Nice Healthcare is a primary care clinic led by nurse practitioners. It offers services through video and in-home visits. The health provider also offers the same services as any clinic, including lab testing, x-ray, ultrasound imaging, and check-ups.
The goal of the company is to save patients time and money. To that end, it offers remote visits and operates outside health insurance. Nice Healthcare is headed by CEO Thompson Aderinkomi and COO Genevieve Swenson.
The company received $6.1 M in four funding rounds from four investors, including Waterline Ventures and Indie.vc.
Branch
Branch offers convenient banking services to companies through its payday app. Using the mobile app is also a cost-effective way to pay workers. The goal is to help employers make wage payments faster. However, workers and independent contractors can also sign up with Branch. Members receive a zero-fee bank account.
Branch also empowers working Americans through cashback, early access to wages, budgeting, and time-off request features. Its app has received recognition as one of the best cash advance apps for 2021.
Led by CEO Atif Siddiqi and CTO Matt Tognetti, Branch has received a total of $10.1M in two funding rounds from 11 investors.
ConnexPay
ConnexPay is a financial services company that developed a payments gateway for marketplaces. As a result, users can accept consumer payments, receive immediate funding, and pay suppliers in real-time. The gateway also detects fraud before processing.
ConnexPay caters primarily to online marketplaces and e-commerce. However, it also services agencies, and brokers in travel, freight, and insurance.
The goal of the company is to help clients save money. By using Connexpay, clients can lower merchant processing fees and maximize rebate revenue. The gateway also removed payments processing limits and increased client cash flow.
Led by CEO Robert Kaufman and CTO Kunal Patel, ConnexPay has since received a total of $15.1M in four funding rounds from 6 investors.
Yardstik
Yardstik is a tech startup. It developed a screening and certification management system to integrate seamlessly with a client’s marketplace or SaaS platform. As a result, clients get the benefit of a security solution without the risk of building one themselves.
The goal of Yardstik is to empower businesses to take the lead as champions for security and safety in their industries. The company is led by CEO Matt Meents and CTO Greg Blasko and has received $4M in one seed round from Rally Ventures.
Leah Labs
Leah Labs is a biotech company. It is the first one to use gene editing to design living therapies for dogs. The company uses licensed, patent-pending technology to use the dog’s immune cells to create Car T cells.
These cells cure B-cell lymphoma cancer in dogs. As a consequence, it has received a grant from Iowa State University to further canine cancer research.
The goal is to cure cancer without the side effects of chemotherapy. Founded by Wesley Wierson and Jon Mochel, Leah Labs has since received $150K in a pre-seed round from Y Combinator.
Minneapolis startups: Thinking outside the box
The top Minneapolis startups on this list are all about innovation. They have captured the imagination (and wallet) of investors and consumers alike. With the entrepreneurial spirit prevailing in Minneapolis, out-of-the-box thinking is a given.
As you might have noticed, many of these startups depend on software to reach their goals. Therefore, they need tech talent. If you are thinking of getting innovative in your business, you can count on Full Scale to lend a hand.
We can help with the growth and expansion of any enterprise through software development. We specialize in building IT teams quickly and affordably, and we do not tie our clients down to long contracts. Our goal is to supply you with whatever you need when you need it to scale up your business.
Give us a shout-out so we can help you reach your goals!
