The Fire Awards are always meant to be a celebration of the companies and people that keep Minnesota's tech and startup scene alive.
With this year's fourth annual Fire Awards, we want to celebrate even harder than ever before after one of the most trying years in memory. That's why we have the biggest Fire Awards ever, honoring 50 companies from across the state.
We sourced these Fire winners from our readers and added some companies that have made waves in the past year or are on the precipice of big things. Many companies were honored because of the steps they took to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
In July, a Blazer winner will be selected from each category by a panel of judges. Blazer winners are the hottest companies in each category, deserving some extra recognition. More details about that event will come out later this month.
We've honored companies in a variety of categories. Startup of the Year is the startup that has risen above the rest in the past year, while the Growing Companies category is for those companies that are a bit smaller but show the potential to be a Startup of the Year down the road. We're also honoring the organizations that support our ecosystem with the community builder category, as well as a few specific industries like medical devices and health and wellness.
Let's meet our Fire winners!
Startup of the Year:
Calabrio became one of Minnesota's rare unicorns, or companies valued at over $1 billion, earlier this year. It makes software used by call centers and is based in Minneapolis.
Sportsdigita makes cloud-based presentation tools and, despite its name, has found success selling to companies outside of sports as well. Edina-based Sportsdigita has raised at least $8 million from outside investors and plans to have over 100 employees by the end of the year.
Bind Benefits is a health insurance startup that sells to employers. It has around 350 employees and has raised over $300 million since it was founded in 2016.
Gravie is a Minneapolis-based health insurance marketplace for small- and medium-sized employers. It has raised $73 million, including $28 million in 2021, and has quadrupled its revenue in the past two years.
Icario is the combination of digital health care companies Novu and Revel Health, which make consumer engagement programs for health plans and employers. Millions of people use Twin Cities-based Icario's technology and it serves over 50 insurance companies.
Sentera is an agriculture insights company that makes drones and senors used by farmers to gather data about their crops. Sentera announced a $25 million round of venture capital in June and is in the process of relocating to St. Paul
Upsie is a Minneapolis-based company that sells warranties for consumer electronics direct-to-consumer. It has raised about $25 million and has plans to boost its marketing to get national attention.
Branch Messenger makes an app that helps hourly and gig workers get paid and manage their schedules. It raised over $19 million earlier this year and CEO Atif Siddiqi was named by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year.
Soona is a same-day photo studio that makes content for e-commerce companies and social media. The Minneapolis-based startup developed a virtual photoshoot tool because of the Covid pandemic and raised a $10.2 million round of venture capital in April.
Dispatch is a business-to-business logistics company that has expanded to over 60 markets since it was founded in 2016. It raised $11.15 million in venture capital in 2020.
Growing Company:
Maazah is a St. Paul-based chutney and aioli company that received a huge boost from a New York Times feature in 2020. It's now on pace to sell 25,000 bottles in 2021 and in May, it earned a spot in the ImpactSku '21 accelerator program.
Nativ3 is a Minneapolis-based digital marketing company that has seen growth over 100% each year since it was founded. It just launched a platform for low-income property managers to organize welfare exemption forms.
Yardstik is a security and screening startup from Magnet 360 co-founder Matt Meents. It raised $4 million while in stealth mode in 2020 and has already hired 21 employees and has over $3 million in revenue.
Abilitech makes a device called the Abilitech Assist that allows people with neuromuscular weaknesses to regain the use of their arms. It became commercially available in 2020 and is working on raising a $20 million Series B.
Railbox Consulting sells and rents used shipping containers using tech. It has rolled out a high-tech e-commerce platform and won a Tekne in 2020.
Flywheel Exchange is a startup that manages data for medical researchers at over 40 academic institutions and other organizations. Minneapolis-based Flywheel raised a $15 million Series B in February.
Fulcrum is a Minneapolis-based startup that makes management software for manufacturers. It was named a Startup of the Year in 2020 by Ernst & Young. It raised a $3.1 million seed round last fall that it will use to double its employee base.
Minneapolis-based Spark makes a cloud-based loan origination program for banks and other finanical institutions. It helped originate over 65,000 loans in 2020, including a number of SBA loans needed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Otrafy makes software that helps food manufacturers manage their business. St. Paul-based Otrafy was named a Startup of the Year by Ernst & Young and received a Launch Minnesota innovation grant in January.
Busy Baby is an Oronoco-based company, which makes silicone placemats and toys for teething babies. It was a division winner at the 2020 Minnesota Cup and scored an appearance on the TV show Shark Tank, which led to a spike in sales.
Community Builder:
The Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship is part of the University of Minnesota and runs major startup programs like the Minnesota Cup and Grow North. It has recently launched new programs like a collaboration with MEDA that supports BIPOC entrepreneurs.
Silicon Prairie Capital Partners is a St. Paul-based broker-dealer that helps companies raise money in modern ways, such as through investment crowdfunding. It recently helped Zeus Electric Chassis complete a $700,000 seed round through its crowdfunding portal.
Beta.MN is an infrastructure builder for Minnesota's startup community. It runs a twice-annual startup accelerator and is the owner of startup news site Tech.MN. It has made efforts to make the local tech scene more diverse, including adding three board members of color in 2020.
The Coven is a co-working space for women, transgender and non-binary people. It converted its Minneapolis location into a donation site for supplies after George Floyd was murdered and created virtual content during the Covid-19, doubling its membership.
The Metropolitan Economic Development Association, or MEDA, is a nonprofit that provides loans and consulting services to BIPOC entrepreneurs. It runs the annual MEDA Million Dollar Challenge, where this year it gave smaller prizes to more companies to help firms ameliorate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Social Impact:
Black Tech Talent is a Minneapolis-based firm that's making a site full of content, education jobs for Black technologists. It's a member of the fourth Lunar Startups accelerator class.
CheqrPay is a startup that helps nonprofits raise money using mobile wallet technology and QR codes. It is in the process of rolling out its technology now.
We Sparkle makes an AI-powered social enterprise platform for startup companies. It's focused on supporting minority-owned businesses in the Twin Cities and released its Sparkle Assistant program on the Zoom Marketplace during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Brown Venture Group is a venture capital group that invests in BIPOC businesses. It's working on raising a $50 million inaugural fund and has already made investments into startups.
The Black Women’s Wealth Alliance supports Black women entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities. It provides funding and technical assistance to over 300 clients per year and recently moved to a new office on Lake Street.
High Tech Company:
NetSPI is a Minneapolis-based cybersecurity company that specializes in penetration testing, which is sometimes called ethical hacking. In May, it raised $90 million in venture capital. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies like Medtronic and Microsoft.
Digi Key is an electronics distributor and one of Minnesota's largest private companies. The Theif River Falls-based company helped the University of Minnesota produce the Coventor, a jerry-rigged ventilator that helped address ventilator shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Arctic Wolf is a transplanted unicorn cybersecurity company. Founded in Silicon Valley, it moved to Eden Prairie in 2020 at the same time it announced a $200 million round of venture capital funding at a valuation of over $1 billion.
Lucy, also known as Equals3, is a Minneapolis-based AI firm that helps Fortune 500 clients manage their data. It raised $3 million in June and plans to double its employee base to over 50 by the end of the year.
Carrot Health is a Minneapolis-based firm that collects consumer data for health plans to help them address what are known as the social determinants of health, or environmental factors that affect people's health. It has been experiencing 100% growth since it was founded.
Education:
7 Generation Games is a Minneapolis-based education tech startup. Last year, it received a $1 million Covid-19 Rapid Response grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which it use to build "Growing Math," a learning platform that taught math and agriculture with a focus on teaching indigenous communities.
Edmentum is a Minneapolis-based online learning company. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it grew by at least 60% due to the rising demand for remote learning. It also saw a 500% increase in use of its platforms.
Vivacity Tech is a St. Paul-based education tech company that recently launched an updated version of its asset management software called Customer Central. It's a public benefit company and offered free tech and services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Spark-Y is a Minneapolis-based non-profit that provides STEM education for students. It's working in a three-year initiative that will provide the City of Minneapolis with best practices for future work.
Trafera is a St. Paul-based company that sells software, warranties and technology to the K-12 education marketplace. It's the combined company formed from the mergers of Trinity 3 Holdings and Arden Hills-based Firefly and raised $48.5 million in 2020.
Health and Wellness Company:
Rae Wellness makes vitamins and probiotics which it sells direct-to-consumer as well as in retailers like Target and Anthropologie. It raised a $9.5 million Series A round of funding in June.
Wellbeats is a Minneapolis-based on-demand fitness content provider. It added over 1 million users during the first month of the Covid-19 pandemic and saw a 64% growth in its revenue from 2019 to 2021.
Marani Health is a pregnancy care startup that makes a remote fetal-monitoring device. Minneapolis-based Marani pivoted to a telehealth model because of the Covid-19 pandemic and raised $3.7 million in venture capital in February.
Omcare is a digital health company that makes a telehealth device that helps seniors and people with chronic conditions with medication adherence and medical visits. It's working on raising a $4 million round of venture capital.
Nightware is a Minneapolis-based startup that makes treatment for PTSD-caused nightmares. It uses an Apple Watch to shake users out of the nightmare without waking them up. It recently received FDA clearance for its device.
Medical Device:
Relievant Medsystems is a medical device company treating back pain with its Intracept Procedure that has raised over $200 million in venture capital. Reliev ant is based in Minneapolis.
Medical 21 was started by St. Jude medical founder Manny Villafaña and is working on creating an artificial blood vessel. It has raised about $8 million and is based in Plymouth.
ShiraTronics received a Breakthrough Device designation from the FDA for its neurostimulation therapy for treating migraine headaches. It is based in Brooklyn Park and has raised at least $36 million in venture capital.
4C Medical Technologies is developing the AltaValve, a self-expanding heart stent that treats mitral valve regurgitation. The Maple Grove-based firm has raised $53 million.
UroDev Medical is an Edina-based firm that is working on getting FDA clearance for its smart catheter system which is called the IntelliFlow Bladder Management System. It has raised $13.3 million.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the amount of capital raised by Bind Benefits.
