Six Minnesota-based minority and women-owned businesses won grants at Hy-Vee’s OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit Thursday.
The West Des Moines, Iowa-based grocery chain awarded a total of $50,000 to Momease Solutions, All Clean Food, TurnSignl, Dress to Calm Down, Soul Grain and Silk Road Wellness.
Held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, this was the third summit that Hy-Vee has hosted to support business owners from underrepresented groups with funding and networking opportunities. From a pool of 150 applications, 15 businesses were invited to pitch their product or services before a panel of judges to win small business grants from Hy-Vee. The event had more than 350 event attendees.
Here is a list of the winners:
Grand prize winner - $30,000: Plymouth-based Momease Solutions Inc., a women-owned company founded by Dr. Ashley Mooneyham, who also serves as the president at Superior Medical Experts, a St. Paul-based medical research and services provider. Mooneyham started Momease in September 2021 after she struggled to pump breast milk while working full-time. The company is currently developing a warming and massaging pumping bra to better facilitate milk extraction while using a breast pump.
Food and beverage winner - $5,000: Twin Cities-based All Clean Food, an organic, gluten-free, plant-based pasta meals company founded by Laura Meemken to make easier meals especially for those with food allergies and sensitivities.
Innovation and technology winner - $5,000: Minneapolis-based TurnSignl, a Black-owned mobile platform co-founded by Jazz Hampton and Mychal Frelix. TurnSignl was created to connect drivers to attorneys via video chat during traffic stops and car accidents. The app is live in over 20 states.
Health, wellness and beauty winner - $5,000: St. Paul-based Dress Up to Calm Down, a clothing company that helps to calm kids with sensory processing difficulties, such as autism and anxiety, using weighted costumes and everyday clothing.
Judge’s choice award winners - $2,500 each: St. Paul-based Soul Grain, a minority women-owned granola company, and Bloomington-based Silk Road Wellness, a halal-certified skincare company, owned by Annie Qaiser.
These were the other businesses selected to present before the judges:
- Eagan-based No Sugar Baker Treats.
- Minneapolis-based Lov3 It S3asoning
- Minneapolis-based Voices of Effective Change GBC dba Lutunji’s Palate
- Minneapolis-based The Beauty Lounge
- Minneapolis-based Kobi Co.
- Andover-based Suite Surroundings
- Twin Cities-based Soak iT Up (Clards.com)
- Minneapolis-based Forever Ware
- Bemidji-based Kinbee
