Programs

MIN-Corps offers many options to explore innovation commercialization.  Scroll down past the calendar for specifics.

Emerging Opportunities from Partners

Walleye Tank: COVID-19 Showcase

May 15 3:00-5:00 pm  Register HERE

Please join us virtually for a special edition of a lifescience startup tradition with Walleye Tank: COVID-19 showcase. We will be highlighting Minnesota innovators and community leaders stepping up to conquer COVID-19 challenges.

DEED Commissioner Steve Grove will provide brief remarks and 12-15 innovators and community leaders will tell their stories. The audience will be presented with various opportunities to help each of the leaders such as providing connections, mentoring, or funds.

This event is organized by Mayo Office of Entrepreneurship and University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization and sponsored by the University of Minnesota Medical School and Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship with promotional support provided by The Medical Alley Association and Launch Minnesota.

Value Proposition Design

The University of Minnesota MIN-Corps program is proud to work with Launch Minnesota, an initiative of MN-DEED, helping you translate your innovation to a fundable, high-growth business. We use the Lean Startup (also called Lean LaunchPad) approach, a structured process to quickly assess and refine business concepts, thus avoiding costly mistakes and accelerating your progress to market launch.  Five modules: lean startup intro, product-market fit, customer discovery, pathway to commercialization, and market assessment. Cohorts are for scientists and technology entrepreneurs exploring the potential commercialization of specific innovations. Webinars are open to anyone interested in learning about the Lean Startup process.  Two versions:

Value Proposition Design Online Certificate Course - Exclusively for pre-launch and early stage technology entrepreneurs who plan to seek external grant or equity funding. Participants utilize Lean Startup tools and receive feedback from instructors deeply experienced in science/technology entrepreneurship. In addition, industry experts and entrepreneur mentors offer insights, advice and connections. Successful completion earns a Certificate in Value Proposition Design from the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship.

Value Proposition Design Webinar - For anyone interested in learning about Lean Startup and innovation commercialization. This is a "light" version of the Online Certificate course. Includes specific examples of how startups have used Lean Startup tools to advance their ventures.

Q2 2020 Certificate Course
Begins April 22
Classes 4-6pm
every other Wednesday

Registration is FULL

Q3 2020 Certificate Course
Begins July 1
Classes 4-6pm
every other Wednesday

Register HERE

Q2 2020 Webinar
Begins April 29
Webinar 4-6pm
every Wednesday

Registration is FULL

Q3 2020 Webinar
Begins July 8
Webinar 4-6pm
every Wednesday

Register HERE

StartUp: Customer Development and Testing

STARTUP: Customer Development & Testing (MGMT 5102) is an experiential 2-credit course for UMN undergrad and grad students interested in pursuing their own entrepreneurial ventures.  Students apply lean launchpad methods to test their value proposition and receive recurring feedback from instructors and mentors. Participating students are eligible to receive seed capital grants up to $3,000 to fund prototype development and customer discovery.

Apply here.

Lunch-and-Learns

Lunch-and-learns are suspended until current social distancing recommendations from the CDC have been lifted.  Stay tuned for updates.

Women Innovators Conference

The annual Women Innovators Conference is a professional development summit designed to help female innovators connect the dots between their ideas and achieving a positive, significant impact. This event will inspire, inform, and connect women students, faculty, and business professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) to strengthen and extend the diverse talent pool of women innovators in the Twin Cities.

The 2019 conference kicked off with "Innovation at the Speed of Laughter," an opening session led by Brave New Workshop, followed by an Applied Design Thinking workshop and two panels, "Translation: Insight to Real Life Innovation" and "Zigzag: Innovation Career Paths."  The event closed with Angie Conley, Founder, President, and CEO of MN Cup 2019 Grand Prize-winning company, Abilitech Medical.

 Check back for information about the 5th annual Women Innovators Conference, "Inclusive Innovation," which will take place on November 16 2020.