MN Cup Names 28 Finalists in 2019 Competition

Minnesota Cup cut its pool of competitors by more than half last week – narrowing the original pool of nearly 90 down to just 28.

These competitors were selected from the 88 semifinalist companies, which were announced in late May. Over the course of the summer, startups worked with mentors to polish up their pitches and business plans. Three to four companies from each division were selected as finalists.

The final pool includes a broad range of competitors that includes SayKid, an education company creating a plush robot for children and Float, a startup that hopes to become 'Airbnb for Boats' in Minnesota.

The competitors will next face-off with the remaining companies in their division. Winners in each division will receive $30,000 and a chance to compete for the Cup's $50,000 grand prize, which will be awarded during Twin Cities Startup Week in October.

Created and managed by the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Cup is a statewide, five-month-long competition where local startups compete for a share of $500,000 in prize money. Around 15,000 Minnesotans have participated in the competition since it began in 2005, according to the University of Minnesota, and finalists have raised more than $280 million in venture capital.

After winning last year’s competition, HabitAware was listed on Time Magazine’s list of Best 2018 Inventions. The company also won the top prize in MEDA’s $1 Million Challenge, walking away with $400,000.

Here are the 2019 MN Cup Division Finalists:

Education and Training

Energy/Clean Tech/Water

Food/Agriculture/Beverage

General 

High Tech

Impact Ventures

Life Sciences/Health IT

Student

Youth